James Yai, the rebels' military spokesman in Leer County in South Sudan’s Unity State has accused the government troops of frequently attacking their positions from mid-October until late this week.

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, Yai stated that the government attacks on their positions have been targeting a number of administrative units in the northern and eastern part of Leer County.

The rebel official further said the government army killed about 15 civilians and wounded 20 others in Adok area, besides the killing of five people from one family in Guit.

On Tuesday, SPLA spokesman Col. Philip Aguer accused SPLM/A-In Opposition forces of attacking their positions in Leer County by shelling them on Monday morning.

However, the spokesman did not give further details about losses from the two sides.

Separately, the military spokesman for the SPLA-IO headquaters, Col. William Gatjiath Deng, said in a statement yesterday that the accusations by Aguer that they shelled Leer were not true.

Instead, he said, “Their forces moved from Leer County at 7:00AM, yesterday and began to shell randomly at the villages, burned down houses, raped young girls and ladies around the villages of Gandoor, Padeeh, Luaal, Bouth, Beer, Leeh, Guad and Dhornor.”

“They also burned the ready grains found in those areas,” added William.