A senior member of the SPLM-IO faction in South Sudan’s Western Bahr al Ghazal State admitted that their opposition fighters clashed with government forces south of Wau town on Saturday.
But the commander denied that their forces entered into the city Wau, raising questions about why so many dead bodies were found in the city if no clashes took place there. Lul Ruai, spokesman of the army, has also denied that there was fighting within Wau city itself.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj yesterday, Ashab Khamis Fahal stated their forces clashed with government forces at the southern entrance of Wau town on Saturday. He claimed that the clashes took place when they tried to open up a corridor for citizens fleeing from violence within the town.
“What happened is that on Friday, 23 June, two Land Cruiser vehicles mounted with guns left the SPLA Division 5 and stationed at the southern part of Wau town,” said Fahal. “They went to an area where there are militias, and guns were distributed there. So the two vehicles moved from the SPLA Division 5 and came to the southern parts and opened fire on the residential areas,” he added.
“After shooting at the citizens we received a request for help from the citizens and we managed to create security corridors so that the citizens could leave because they wanted to save their lives.”
Fahal accused tribal militias and SPLA forces of masterminding and targeting unarmed citizens in Wau town, while disputing reports that they attacked the town.
The SPLM-IO commander is a former director of state television in Wau.
William Ezekiel, SPLM-IO spokesperson in Juba, said that violent clashes that erupted in Wau were unfortunate despite the signed peace agreement.
“We as the armed opposition, we will work hard to find solutions to such insecurity problems, because innocent civilians including women, children and elderly people were killed dispute the peace agreement,” said Ezekiel.
The leading opposition member warned against any attempt to shift fighting to other areas in South Sudan. He condemned the incident that claimed the lives of dozens of innocent people.
Ezekiel called on peace partners to settle conflicts and implement the signed peace agreement in order to avoid recurrence of such incidents in peaceful places. The spokesman affirmed his movement’s commitment to implementing the peace agreement, while blaming the Wau incidents on all parties in the new coalition government.
For his part, South Sudan’s Minister of Agriculture Lam Akol, who headed a non-armed opposition alliance that has joined the transitional government, said that the unity government is still gathering information about lawlessness and insecurity in Wau town.
Lam Akol stressed that people involved in the incident should be brought to book.
“Yes, lawlessness happened, and many innocent lives were loss, so we are now collecting the truth so that we can judge wisely. Any person involved in the killing of human being should be held accountable, the period of impunity is over,” said Akol.
The minister called upon all stakeholders to uphold the peace accord and join efforts to impose the peace agreement on all parties despite challenges facing peace implementation in South Sudan.
On Tuesday, the South Sudanese government announced that it formed a high level committee to investigate ongoing fighting in Wau town. The committee will be headed by the Minister of Health Riek Gai Kok.
Photo: Civilians displaced by violence in Wau, 26 June 2016 (UNMISS)