At least three government officials were wounded in an ambush on a convoy in a village near Leer town in South Sudan’s Southern Liech State last Monday, a deputy military spokesperson for the SPLA army said.
Southern Liech State is one of the states which came into existence after President Kiir issued a controversial ‘Establishment Order’ in October 2015 to divide up the country and create 28 states.
Col. Santo Doming, the SPLA army’s deputy spokesman, told Radio Tamazuj yesterday that the State Advisor on Security Affairs, Boau County Commissioner and a parliamentarian were wounded when their vehicles came under attacks by Riek Machar’s forces at Rubjieh village near Leer town on 10 October.
He further said the government officials were moving in the area to mobilize citizens for peace implementation. “The convoy was ordered by the First Vice President Taban Deng Gai to move and mobilize the citizens in Leer and the surrounding areas for the implementation of the peace agreement, so when the convoy was moving, it fell into ambush,” said Doming.
“The state security advisor, the commissioner of Boau, and a parliamentarian were wounded in the ambush,” he added.
Santo pointed out that about 21 rebel soldiers were killed during clashes between the two sides. He admitted that at least four SPLA soldiers who were escorting the convoy were killed and three others wounded.
Bapiny’s resignation accepted
Separately, Santo Doming said that the resignation of the Deputy Chief of General Staff for Moral Orientation Lt. Gen. Bapiny Monytuil has been accepted by SPLA Chief of Staff Gen. Paul Malong Awan.
“The SPLA chief has accepted his resignation since he does not want to serve in the SPLA, the SPLA chief has also thanked him for his service in the army, but the problem is that he resigned via media, he was supposed to come or send a letter, because he is free to resign, “said Santo .