Commissioner of Melut County in South Sudan’s Upper Nile State Puoc Teng Diing says the security situation is calm and stable in the oil producing area following the earlier outbreak of conflict in various other areas of Upper Nile State.
Upper Nile State is the only remaining crude-producing state after the insurgency forced oil companies to stop pumping in neighbouring Unity state in December.
In an interview with Radio Tamazuj on Wednesday, Diing stated that the oil is flowing normally without any disruption.
The commissioner revealed that he held a meeting on Tuesday with the management of Dar Petroleum Operating Company (DPOC) in order to reassure them of the stability of security in the county.
The claims that the rebels are planning to attack the oil field is ‘rubbish’, he said, underscoring the SPLA forces are in full control of the situation in Upper Nile and the oil field in particular.
South Sudanese rebels have announced their intention to capture key oil installations to force President Salva Kiir to step down and end more than three months of conflict in the world’s newest nation.