The Shilluk militia in Upper Nile State known as Aguelek force, which is designated as a division of SPLA-IO led by Riek Machar in the state, has acknowledged losing control of two areas in clashes with government troops near Malakal town recently.
Aguelek forces control most of the west bank of the Nile in the state under the command of General Johnson Olony, since his defection from Kiir’s government in April 2015.
Maj. Gen. Obaj Barget, the group’s field commander in the area, told Radio Tamazuj today that they lost control of Warjok and Lelo areas during fighting with the government troops in the past two weeks.
The rebel commander denied claimed by the SPLA forces that they killed about 56 SPLA forces during the clashes, while promising to avenge their fighters and recapture the two areas at any time.
“This is not true because this is war propaganda, you can claim that we killed many people, but it a lie, so now we have stationed in our position, and other side is in its position,”said Obaj.
Last week, several opposition officials announced that a top commander with the rank of general in the SPLA-IO was killed in the clashes on west bank areas near Malakal town.