The Vice President of the Republic of South Sudan James Wani Igga today declined to comment on whether the government controls Leer after clashes were reported there two weeks after the signing of the ceasefire agreement.
Igga was asked at a press conference on Monday to confirm whether Leer was captured by the army or not. “As to the claims and counter-claims about Leer, I am actually blank,” he said, explaining that he would soon by briefed on the situation by military commanders.
Leer was in opposition hands earlier in the week but they now say they lost control of the area. An opposition military spokesman claimed the town was burned by advancing government forces, along with surrounding villages. A medical organization working in the town, meanwhile, also reported they were forced to flee.
The vice-president was away from Friday to Monday at the Extraordinary Summit of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), where heads of state from Kenya, Uganda and Sudan met to discuss the crisis in South Sudan.
“I was away as I said before. I arrived yesterday evening and I’m still yet to meet our army commanders and see whether this is just an allegation as it used to be or is there any reality. So now I’m not armed with that information,” Igga stated.
But the vice president emphasized that the army would follow its commitment to the Agreement on Cessation of Hostilities. “The government is a disciplined force, we are a disciplined army,” he noted.
“We have been well trained and we listen to orders. So once there are orders from the government like the orders about the cessation of hostilities, which actually includes first and foremost ceasefire, our soldiers don’t dishonor this,” he added.
“So we are a disciplined force, we don’t intend to fight, we are for the agreement that was signed, and this is actually what we are abiding with,” concluded the vice-president.
Related:
South Sudan rebels say army razed town, using foreign fighters (2 Feb.)
Fighting spreads into southern Unity State (1 Feb.)
In brief: Who is South Sudan’s new VP? (25 Aug.)
File photo