The SPLA-IO announced Friday it is holding nine Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) soldiers as prisoners of war after capturing the town of Waat on Wednesday.
The opposition group, allied with suspended First Vice President Riek Machar, said its fighters seized Waat, the headquarters of Nyirol County, Jonglei state, after heavy fighting with the government army there on Wednesday.
Peter Gatkuoth Koang, the SPLA-IO-appointed commissioner for Nyirol County, told Radio Tamazuj that the soldiers were captured after their base was overrun.
“All of them are in good condition, but one person is wounded in his arm,” Koang said. “We are planning to have him evacuated to an MSF facility in Lankien for treatment.” MSF refers to Doctors Without Borders.
Koang retracted an earlier claim that the Waat garrison commander was captured, saying three generals and some forces remained at large, hidden by community members with marital ties to them.
“Three SSPDF generals, along with some of their forces including Brig. Gen. Kuot Atem, are still at large. Our forces know that they are hiding within the community, but we failed to find them. They are being hidden by community members because of marital ties.”
He said they are negotiating with the community to secure the officers’ safe release.
The SPLA-IO says it killed more than 30 government troops in the clashes and seized military equipment, including three tanks.
Two of the captured soldiers, SSPDF Capt. Pagan Omot Anyakwei and Sgt. Morris Charles Juma, told Radio Tamazuj that they were being treated well.
Capt. Pagan said all is well since his capture. “After the base was overrun, we fled and sought shelter with the community. The SPLA-IO forces found us there, and we are now with them. We are being treated with dignity.”
Sgt. Morris Charles Juma of the SSPDF’s Mechanized Division said he was captured on Wednesday and has been safe since. “We are nine soldiers from the Mechanized Division. We are getting brotherly treatment; no problem.”
SSPDF spokesman Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang could not immediately be reached for comment.