South Sudanese government and rebel forces are trading accusations of attacks in a few areas over the last two days in Upper Nile and Unity States in spite of a new permanent ceasefire.
SPLA-IO Military Spokesman Col. William Gatjiath Deng told Radio Tamazuj that the government forces attacked their positions in Pulgori area of Leer County in Unity State yesterday afternoon.
“The government forces clashed with our forces in Leer County in an area called Pulgori at 10:00 am. They attacked us and they fought us until 1:00 pm,” he said.
He further said fighting took place over three days.
SPLA spokesperson Col Philip Aguer, denied that SPLA forces moved outside Leer. Instead, he accused the rebel forces of attacking Leer which is controlled by the government forces.
Meanwhile, Hassan Otor, a commander in the Aguelek forces of rebel General Johnson Olony, said the government troops captured Lelo area in Upper Nile State.
The rebel commander accused the government forces of targeting the citizens and their properties. He called on the IGAD countries to put pressure on the Juba government to withdraw its troops from the area.
“What is happening in Lelo area is that the government forces are targeting the citizens. So we call on the IGAD put pressure on the government to withdraw its army from Lelo and return back to Malakal,” he said.
Gatjiath said one woman was killed and two other civilians were wounded in Lelo.
SPLA spokesperson Aguer also denied claims that the government forces attacked Panyikang area in Upper Nile State. “It is a lie, the commander of our forces in Malakal has asked the UN to go to the area and confirm the allegations by the rebels,” he said.
He claimed that SPLA field commander in Upper Nile has recently requested a meeting with head of the UN forces to discuss cease-fire monitoring in the area.