The government forces have withdrawn from Ngo Baggari County in South Sudan’s Wau State, a top state official told Radio Tamazuj on Wednesday.
Andrea Mayar, appointed governor of the proposed Wau State, confirmed the withdrawal of the SPLA force and police units from Ngo Baggari County which the SPLA-IO fighters claim to have already captured.
The top official pointed out that the Ngo County Commissioner preferred not to move to Wau town when the government troops decided to withdraw from the area.
The governor disputed reports that the SPLA-IO forces managed to overrun the area, saying the government decided to move to Wau town without any clashes.
“When you say that you have captured the area that means you have attacked and forced the units of police and army out”said Andrea.
“But when you find an empty area that means you have not captured it, all units there withdrew to Wau town and the commissioner whether with or without his intention, he has decided not to come to Wau” he explained.
On Tuesday, an SPLA-IO commander in Western Bahr el Ghazal announced that they captured Ngo Baggari County and detained the County Commissioner together with his bodyguards.
File photo: Andrea Mayar