South Sudan’s government army has claimed capture of areas south of Leer in Unity state as aid workers evacuated the area.
Col. Philip Aguer, official spokesperson of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA), said pro-government forces took the Taiyar port in Paniyijiar County from the rebels on Thursday as well as Mayandiit County.
Aid workers had evacuated from Ganyiel in Panyijiar county on Wednesday amid “heavy fighting” in the state, according to humanitarian organization Mercy Corps.
Mercy Corps said the fighting forced families to flee into the bush. Some of those families had already been displaced to Panyijiar last year after escaping fighting elsewhere in the country. A separate source from Ganyiel told Radio Tamazuj that shelling could be heard from Ganyiel on Wednesday morning.
Yesterday Aguer confirmed to Radio Tamazuj clashes in Mayandiit county, which neighbors Panyijiar. Spokesperson for the SPLA-In Opposition Dickson Gatluak denied the capture of Taiyar, saying the government attack was repulsed. He also claimed “fighting is ongoing” in Mayandiit.
The government is currently engaged in a “full-scale military offensive” in the Greater Upper Nile Region, according to the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), which is tasked with monitoring violations of the ceasefire between South Sudan’s warring parties.
The offensive began on 27 April and has displaced more than 100,000 people. Some 500,000 are without access to humanitarian assistance, according to the UN. The UN has accused the SPLA of killing civilians, raping women and girls, abducting boys, and torching houses during this offensive, while preventing humanitarian workers from reaching affected populations.
SPLA denies using UN logos
Separately, Col. Aguer dismissed claims that the government forces placed United Nations logos on military ferries when attacking Taiyar.
“We entered Taiyar area with SPLA boats, and those boats were prepared at the river side. The company that prepared those boats is also available here is case of more inquiries,” he said.
This reaction came after the rebel-appointed commissioner of Panyijiar County John Tap accused the government troop of using UN logos to attack Taiyar area.