The new army chief has visited the area of Pagak as rebel fighters engaged in clashes with government forces on Saturday morning in an attempt to retake the town.

Pagak has been a strategic area in Riek Machar’s insurgency since he defected as the deputy to President Salva Kiir in 2013.

Gen. Gabriel Jok Riak arrived in Pagak on Saturday morning following heavy fighting between the two rival forces and addressed the government forces deployed in the area.

Bol Ruach Rom, the government-appointed governor of Maiwut State said their forces had been attacked by rebel forces loyal to the country’s former vice president, Riek Machar in the area of Pagak on Saturday morning.

He pointed out that the attackers were repulsed. “We are ready to defend our positions,” he said.

SPLA army spokesman Lul Ruai Koang told Radio Tamazuj that their positions came under attacks by rebels allied to Riek Machar in the area of Pagak on Saturday around 5 am, but they were repulsed.

He pointed out that he was waiting to receive reports on the clashes in Pagak. “Our new army chief and the commander of ground forces went to Pagak on Saturday to inspect the situation there,” he said.

SPLA-IO military spokesman William Gatjiath Deng said their positions came under attacks by government troops on Saturday morning. Instead, he accused the government forces of starting the attack on their positions.

“They came and attacked us near Maiwut. They also went and attacked us in the area of Turuw, and also in Nguankei. Those three areas were attacked and we repulsed them until we entered Pagak,” he said.

He claimed that they inflicted heavy losses on the government forces during fighting in the area.” Three soldiers have been killed and nine others have been wounded from our side,” he said.

“Our forces are now around Pagak and we managed to maintain the three areas attacked by the government forces. SPLA-IO is now controlling most parts of Pagak” he added.