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JAU - 5 Jul 2013

SAF ‘surprise air strike’ on Jau – soldiers and civilians injured

An aircraft of the Sudan Air Force has bombed a Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) of South Sudan position in Jau on Tuesday, reportedly wounding nine people – seven of them seriously. The position is just a short drive from Yida refugee camp in northern Unity State.

The bombing took place at the new SPLA encampment, approximately 16 kilometres from their old position. The South Sudanese Army had withdrawn southward after signing an implementation matrix with Sudan several months ago.

 Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, a local official of Pariang County, Malwal Jaw said: “Two SAF aircraft MiGs carried out air raids in Jau SPLA position where they are stationed in Banyany and Falonyi, wounding nine people,” he said. ”Seven of the nine victims are seriously injured,” he added.

We rushed some patients to Yida and others taken to Bentiu for medical help,” he said.

The official mentioned that civilians have started moving out of the area in fear of a ground offensive by the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and said that the areas of Banyany and Falonyi that witnessed the bombing have seen “massive displacement of the people to Yida camp”.

Michael Changeak Gai, the Deputy Governor of Unity State, has confirmed the bombing. Gai said the bombing victims are both military and civilian, as the MiGs had taken everyone by surprise. Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, Gai said that out of the seven people who sustained serious injuries, three are civilians and four are soldiers.

Gai said that he did not expect such action from Sudan as the Vice President Riek Machar has recently visited Khartoum to discuss the problems facing the two nations. “We hoped that things could be better after the Vice President’s visit, but we were taken by surprise when they carried out air strikes on our people in Jau” he said.

He also said that his government condemned the “baseless action” of the Sudan government on their people and called on the entire international community to do the same. “The bombs could have fallen on the refugees from Sudan who are based in the region after fleeing the ongoing conflict in their own country. This can affect the already strained cross-border relationship of the two Nations” he said.

Gai said state authorities have already informed central levels about the event, “however Juba asked not to seek revenge but to seek the path of peace. What we can say is that our forces can defend themselves in case of any aggressions on them“.

The Deputy Governor warned that it remains to be seen whether the events are repeats. “Then South Sudan will interpret it as an act of war.”

Sudan has no base for their allegations against Unity State and South Sudan for assisting the rebels fighting them. Sudan wants to use us in order to run away from its internal problems,” he said, referring to a recent statement by Nafie Ali Nafie, senior aide to Sudan’s President Omar Al Bashir.

Unity State does not have a different policy from the one of South Sudan,” he argued to explain that Unity State does not support SPLM-N rebels. 

File photo: A Sudan Air Force MiG

Related coverage:

Meetings in Juba, China, Addis to strengthen Juba-Khartoum relations (25 June 2013)

 South Sudan VP to visit Khartoum on Sunday (21 June 2013)

S. Sudan army withdraws from Jau and Mile 14 (20 March 2013)