The Sudan People`s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO) led by First Vice President Riek Machar has accused the governor of Unity State of mobilizing the youths to flash them out of their base in Rubkona County.
On Monday, Unity State Information Minister David Gai told Radio Tamazuj that fighting erupted when Governor Dr. Joesph Nguen Monytuil’s convoy came under attack by SPLA-IO soldiers, leading to the death of several SSPDF soldiers and the wounding of two senior SSPDF officers.
However, SPLA-IO Spokesperson Col. Lam Paul Gabriel countered that there was a two-pronged attack on their position in Nyuel Nyuel coordinated and led by Governor Joseph Nguen Monytuil and the SSPSF Division Commander in Unity State.
When contacted about the situation on the ground following Monday`s clashes, Col. Lam Paul accused Governor Monytuil of trying to flash them out of Nyuel Nyuel.
He said they lost four soldiers during Monday`s clashes while the South Sudan`s People`s Defense Forces lost 14 soldiers.
“We lost four soldiers from the SPLA-IO side on Monday and I cannot say exactly how many the SSPDF lost but the information we are getting is that they lost about 14 soldiers,” he stated. “The majority of those who were killed were the armed youth mobilized from Mayom plus some components of SSPDF under a General who defected from us and some SSPDF soldiers under their Division Commander.”
According to Col. Lam, Governor Monytuil is resolute on evicting the SPLA-IO base at Nyuel Nyuel.
“The governor is determined to remove us completely because the whole agenda is to move the SPLA-IO out of that base at Nyuel Nyuel and he even talked about it in the cabinet meeting and ordered the SSPDF Division Commander to go to the ground to remove the SPLA-IO by force from that place,” he explained. “The attack of Monday clearly shows that this is not going to be the end and he is currently mobilizing armed youth from Koch. We already received reports that around 200 youth from Koch are moving to Bentiu.”
Lam added: “Mobilization is also happening in Mayom and we believe we will soon have some serious clashes.”
The SPLA-IO mouthpiece said they informed the UN and the Ceasefire Transitional Security Arrangement Monitoring and Verification Mechanism (CTSAMVM) before the clashes on Monday and before the arrival of the governor and his forces to attack their base in Nyuel Nyuel.
“UN and CTSAMVM were all informed even before the incident happened because we are the same people and that means whatever happens on the other side is well known to the other,” Lam said. “There are people who do not want war, they also want peace, so they will continue reporting whatever situation is on the ground. Before the clashes happened, we informed CTSAMVM and UNMISS about the arrival of the forces of the governor at our base.”
He further accused the forces led by the governor of raping and looting food and cattle from the civilians after the clashes.
“On their way back after the clashes on Monday, we received reports of rape, the disappearance of two girls, looting of food, and stealing of 40 cows among others,” Col. Lam said. “These are reports that we got from civilians in our area of control. Some two civilians also died in crossfire during the clashes.”
When contacted for comment about the clashes, SSPDF Spokesperson Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang said calm returned to Nyuel Nyuel but said they only lost three soldiers in Monday’s fighting.
He however declined to comment on the alleged mobilization of the youth Governor Monytuil, saying he does not speak on behalf of the Unity State government.
“Calm was restored because it was not a kind of intensified confrontation between the two forces, it was limited to one area called Nguel Nyuel village which is under Rubkona County. It was only the base where there were rebels that came to attack the convoy of the governor,” he stated. “After they were repulsed, calm was restored in the area and orders were issued for the forces to stop escalating the clashes. There were no civilians in the area at the time of the clashes, only military personnel were affected and the figure remains three killed and five wounded on the side of the SSPDF.”
“Among the five wounded are Major Generals, one from the South Sudan National Police Service and another from the Wildlife Service,” Gen. Ruai added.
Meanwhile, David Gai Jiejor, the Unity State information minister, confirmed that calm had returned to Nyuel Nyuel but denied the mobilization of youth from Koch County to attack SPLA-IO positions.
“That is not true, that is an accusation, the governor cannot mobilize the youth from Koch which is far away from where the clashes happened,” he charged. “That is an accusation from the spokesperson of the SPLA-IO because the governor came back from where the incident happened, where he was ambushed.”
“There is no such information in our state about mobilizing the youth to attack the SPLA-IO,” Gai added.