The SPLA-IO component loyal to Vice President Dr. Riek Machar has admitted that the breakaway faction commanded by Gen. Simon Gatwich Dual took over one of their bases after heavy fighting in the northern part of northern Upper Nile State on 27 December.
Dr. Machar’s SPLA-IO military spokesperson, Col. Lam Paul Gabriel, told Radio Tamazuj on Tuesday night that the Kit Gwang forces of Gen. Gatwich took over their Amoud base on Boxing Day after they tactically withdrew from the area.
“On 26 December, clashes occurred between ours and their forces on patrol and they were repulsed back to their base in Magenis,” Col. Lam explained. “They imagined that we had attacked them and they attacked our base in Amoud on 27 December and took it over because our forces had tactically withdrawn from there because we are at peace and it is a festive season.”
He added: “We did not think there would be heavy fighting and did not prepare for it so we withdrew outside of Amoud. So, up to now, the Kit Gwang forces are in Amoud.”
Asked who started the fighting, Col. Lam blamed the Kit Gwang SPLA-IO faction for sparking the clashes.
“They are the ones who attacked us and took over our base in Amoud. During the fighting they deployed an armored vehicle which killed many people and forced us to withdraw,” Lam said. “Again, yesterday (Tuesday) at around 1 pm, they left Amoud and wanted to attack the place we withdrew to but we repulsed them back to Amoud.”
He said there has not been any fighting since Tuesday because Dr. Machar ordered his forces not to go attack the breakaway SPLA-IO faction.
“We are not attacking. Our Commander-in-Chief, Dr. Riek Machar ordered us not to attack Gatwich Dual’s forces again because this is a time of peace and if there is an issue it should be resolved using dialogue,” Col. Lam said. “South Sudanese should not kill each other because this is a time of peace. Our forces are observing the orders not to engage in combat. So, we are now telling the Kit Gwang group that the people now want peace and not war. Whatever they want can be discussed and does not require war. War takes us backward.”
On the number of soldiers they lost, he said the fighting was heavy and many people died for nothing.
“It was very heavy fighting and they lost a lot and we also lost. On our side, we might have lost 10 soldiers but they lost more I am sure,” Col. Lam said. “What have they benefited from the fighting? Now the families of the dead soldiers will suffer.”