Fighting has continued in and around the Upper Nile capital Malakal and in the area of the Jonglei capital Bor as the South Sudan army pursues defected troops led by the Nuer commander Peter Gadet.

Many dead bodies were seen strewn across streets in Bor town on Christmas morning after SPLA defectors were driven from the city. The population have not returned to their houses yet and there were no Christmas church services in either Bor or Malakal.

Upper Nile

The first serious clashes in Upper Nile broke out in rural areas and several smaller towns on Sunday. The violence spread into the capital Malakal on Monday evening and continued on Christmas Eve and Christmas.

Defectors from the SPLA 7th Division and from other organized forces are battling troops loyal to President Salva Kiir. They took over some key downtown areas but were not able to seize the entire city.

The airport, now closed, is still in the hands of the SPLA and government reinforcements have been rushed by road from other military bases north of Malakal. A reporter based in the northern part of Malakal says that his area is controlled by the SPLA, but that the army barracks are still in the hands of the defected Nuer soldiers.

Cabinet Affairs Minister Martin Elia Lomoro told reporters in Juba after meetings with the cabinet and various generals that some pockets of resistance remained: “In Malakal there are rogue elements from police, prisons and wildlife police attempting to cause havoc inside Malakal town. But in terms of military control the army is totally in control of Malakal, except that there are those who cause havoc in the town.”  

Neither of the rival forces seems yet in full control of the town, and the main battlefield has moved south of the city, Radio Tamazuj reports. State Minister of Information Philip Jiben Ogal said that he has reports from eyewitnesses of many fatalities, but he could not provide an estimate of the overall number. At least 23 wounded civilians were brought to the UNMISS compound for treatment, among them eight children and seven women.

“It is premature to predict when the clashes will be over,” the minister said to Radio Tamazuj. Many civilians have fled the Upper Nile capital. There are reports of refugees arriving in other counties, such as Maban County where aid operations were already ongoing owing to the presence there of refugees from Blue Nile. According to UN the situation is there also tense.

Some other parts of the state have also slipped out of government control, including possibly Nasser and several west bank towns. But according to government spokesman Ateny Wek, the state’s oil fields are still under government control since they are far away from Malakal.

Governor of Upper Nile Simon Kun Pouch has asked the people to stay calm. He said that the fighters in other places of Upper Nile such as Tonga, Kaka and Nasir, are not commanded by the former vice-president Riek Machar: “These are ‘white armies, consisting of young armed Nuer. These unorganized groups are responsible for the attack on the UN base in Akobo in Jonglei.”

Bor

Defectors from SPLA 8th Division led by the Nuer commander Peter Gadet held Bor and the nearby military camps of Pan-pandiar and Malual-chaat since December 18. They looted markets, robbed banks, burned down the governor’s house and some ministries, and forced tens of thousands of civilians to flee the city.

SPLA first recaptured Pan-pandiar and Malual-chaat army bases yesterday, then Bor itself. The village of Mareng, where Gadet was rumored to be headquartered, was also attacked and the rebels driven away. Witness reports of army maneuvers yesterday appear to indicate that the town was assaulted from several directions.

Fighting has since moved to outlying areas. A reporter said that around 15:00 on Wednesday renewed fighting broke out between the SPLA and the defected army north of Bor. Three tanks were seen moving in the direction of Padak/Baidit, a village ten kilometers north of Bor. As of 20:00 shooting was still continuing.

Bor’s population has not returned to their houses and thousands of people remained in the UN compound. The base was struck yesterday by two mortar shells, injuring four Nepalese peacekeepers.

During the fighting, some Nuer defectors tried to enter the UNMISS camp. The UN said that the armed men were driven away by warning shots fired by the peacekeepers.

The UN today also denied a report that ethnic Nuer were taken from inside the camp. "No one has or is being taken from the camp," UN Spokesman Patrick Morrison told a correspondent of The Guardian. According to other sources a shooting took place inside the camp killing one person. The UN is investigating the case.

Bentiu

In Bentiu the capital of Unity State, the situation has not changed substantially. The twin towns are still under control of the defected army commander James Koang. The army said Tuesday an attack is imminent, but nothing developed further.

Minister Martin Elia said, “Parts of Unity State and Mayom are under control of the rebel group by renegade Riek Machar Teny, he is in control of Unity State and part of Mayom and we think our army will soon do their work in this respect.”

Photo: SPLA soldiers in Juba on 21 December 2013 (Reuters)

Related:

SPLA fight to regain control of Malakal, civilians flood into UN compound (24 Dec.)

SPLA claims victory in Bor, most of Gadet's troops leave town (24 Dec.)

Governor acknowledges clashes in different areas of Upper Nile (23 Dec.)