The South Sudanese national army (SPLA) has been ordered not to attack any rebel positions, in accordance with the terms of the ceasefire agreement signed late Friday, according to President Salva Kiir.
At a rally on Sunday upon the president’s return to the country after signing the ceasefire with rebel leader Riek Machar, the president stated that he has already ordered his forces not to continue attacking the enemy.
“Our army since the night I signed this agreement – I said, you, army, if there is any place that you want to go to where you haven’t been yet, stop from that now,” Kiir said.
The president added, “Nobody should go his own way again in order to attack Riek Machar’s forces.”
However, he also accused Machar’s forces of attacking his forces in Rubkona and elsewhere on Sunday morning.
“Early this morning at 6:30, Riek Machar’s forces attacked our forces in Rubkona in Unity State,” he said. “They attacked our forces while they were remaining in their positions,” explaining that the attack was repulsed.
“Then at 9:20 a.m. the same force of Riek Machar attacked our force at Kilo 50, east of Bentiu. They came and attacked our forces and were repulsed. This same morning at about 9:00 they also attacked our forces at Mathiang, north-east of Nasser.”
Kiir said, “You see now those are the things that happen from day one.”