South Sudan's government has deployed attack helicopters and heavy artillery to Wau town in Western Bahr el Ghazal state as clashes continue between the army and SPLA-IO rebels in that area and in Western Equatoria state.

By 11:30 Friday morning, at least five Mi-24 attack helictopers and Mi-17 transport choppers belonging to the South Sudanese Air Force landed at Wau airport, according to an internal UNMISS situation report obtained by Radio Tamazuj.

14 to 16 tanks and armored personnel carriers were stationed near the SPLA Division 5 barracks at Grinti, while other SPLA vehicles were seen in Wau town, the report said.

The heavy deployment follows clashes between SPLA and opposition forces in the area since Wednesday 6 April. The two sides clashed through Friday 8 April with heavy casualties on both sides, the report said.

Buildings from Loko Loko to Mboro were destroyed in the fighting and the area was "completely deserted," according to the report.

"The populations of eight surrounding bomas were also reportedly displaced to Mboro and remain in hiding in the bush, with some expressing fear that the SPLA would send attack helicopters to bombard the area," the report said.

The report added three SPLA soldiers were injured, two with life threatening injuries, in the clashes, citing a senior SPLA source. SPLA sources in Western Bahr el Ghazal and Western Equatoria verified the information contained in the UN report.

The army sources added that some SPLA units fought suspected SPLA-In Oppoistion elements in Mundri, Western Equatoria state. Similar developments occurred in Yeri area on 5 and 6 April, and in Mvolo on the way to Rumbek, the sources said.

Yesterday, SPLA-IO General James Koang accused the government of launching attacks in both Western Bahr el Ghazal and Western Equatoria. The SPLA has not made any comment on the fighting.

'Personally coordinated' by Malong

The fighting appears to be organized by Paul Malong, who is the SPLA Chief of Staff under South Sudanese President Salva Kiir. Malong recently traveled to both Wau and Aweil, which is the capital of Malong's home state Northern Bahr el Ghazal.

"The on-going military operation in Wau County was being personally coordinated by the SPLA Chief of Staff, General Paul Malong," the UN report said, citing the SPLA source. That senior SPLA source added that the SPLA Division 5 was "left out of the operation" and a number of soldiers allegedly refused to fight and run away.

Another non-military source said a column of troops was seen heading south recently from Northern Bahr el Ghazal toward Wau area, though Radio Tamazuj could not independently confirm this information.

According to the SPLA sources in Western Bahr el Ghazal and Western Equatoria, Malong has instructed government forces to prevent the SPLA-IO from establishing bases in the two states and to dismantle their camps.

The intention, the sources said, is to prevent SPLA-IO from establishing official cantonment sites in the two states. This conforms with the government's position that the SPLA-IO has no bases in Bahr el Ghazal and Equatoria, so should not be allowed to establish cantonment sites in those areas.

Government officials have stated their position against SPLA-IO cantonment sites in Western Bahr el Ghazal and Western Equatoria at various meetings of the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC), which is overseeing implementation of South Sudan's peace deal.

The SPLA-IO claims they have presence of soldiers in both areas, and should therefore have cantonment sites to station their troops.

Separately, Gen Koang told reporters yesterday that the government "rejects the cantonment of Equatoria and Bahr el Ghazal, and this is a challenge." He said the government was not convinced that the opposition should have cantonment sites in those areas.

Koang said the matter has been referred to JMEC to solve because it could not be solved with the government and opposition's own joint ceasefire committee. "It has become political, not technical," the opposition general said.

Meanwhile, JMEC today announced that the SPLA-In Opposition forces attacked a police post in Northern Bahr el Ghazal state in March, killing one soldier. JMEC also said the government killed civilians around Nasser area in Upper Nile state the same month.

File photo: SPLA Chief of Staff Paul Malong salutes President Salva Kiir at Juba Airport, 12 June 2014