A senior rebel commander loyal to rebel leader Riek Machar has claimed responsibility for Saturday attacks on Awarping, the headquarters of Abiemnhom West County of South Sudan’s Ruweng state.
Brigadier General Peter Machar Lony told Radio Tamazuj on Tuesday that his forces had attacked government position in Awarpiny town in a response to the retaliatory attacks being carried out by government forces on their positions around the area.
“We are in peace but many times, the government forces had attacked us in our positions and on 21st April, our forces, the SPLA IO went and attack Awarpiny headquarter of Abiemnhom West County not forces of Peter Gatdet,” he said.
“We have heard from forces loyal to Peter Gatdet forces that it were them who attack Awarpiny and we want to confirmed to everybody that the attacks was carried out by SPLA IO under Machar not SSUM forces under Peter Gatdet,” Lony stressed.
The rebel officer revealed that one of his soldiers was wounded during the clashes but they managed to collect 11 AK47s and 1 PKM from the government soldiers before they withdrew.
On Sunday, Paulino Wal, the commissioner of Abiemnhom West County accused forces loyal to Peter Gadet of attacking Awarpiny , the headquarter of Abiehmnhom West County in Ruweng State, killing 4 army officers and injuring 2 soldiers and a child.