South Sudan’s Army Chief of Staff Gen. Paul Malong says that the government is still committed to the cessation of hostilities agreement in spite of the rebel attack an Nasir town over the weekend.
He said the attack started at midnight before Sunday, after several days of shelling, confirming that the rebels then attacked their positions on Sunday, as reported by the IGAD ceasefire monitors.
Rebel forces have overrun the town, Radio Tamazuj reported on Sunday.
Malong affirmed that the army remains committed to the ceasefire: “SPLA position about the ceasefire: Of course, we are committed and promise to remain committed for the cessation of hostilities and that’s why we have stopped advancing like when we were doing [before].”
“And therefore without that we cannot do anything out of what has been agreed and our leadership is committed,” he said, addressing the press in Juba.
“So we are still committed although there is a violation everywhere by the rebels,” he added.
SPLA-IO military spokesman Lul Ruai had claimed the fighing around Nasir started outside of the city, when army troops tried to make a raid at the headquarters of their commander.
Meanwhile, the army chief of staff also described the rest of Upper Nile State as calm, denying rumours that Maban had seen fighting.
Related:
Nasir town captured by rebels (20 July)
South Sudan army attacks food distribution (16 July)