A senior leader of SPLM/A-IO Kit Gwang has said calm has returned to Upper Nile State after last week’s clashes with the rival SPLM/A-IO faction allied to the First Vice President, Dr Riek Machar.
The Chairperson of the Information and Mobilisation Committee of SPLM/A – IO Kit-Gwang, Brig, Chuol Deng Thon, called on Dr Machar’s forces to respect the cessation of hostility agreement to sustain the peace.
“For the past days, there have been no clashes between Kit-Gwang forces and the SPLA-IO of Riek Machar but we have the information that our position may be attacked any time,” Brig. Deng said.
“Everyone holds a different opinion, but if South Sudan is ours, we should respect the ceasefire because our people have suffered enough, “he said.
Brig, Deng added, “I am calling on Riek to order his forces to remain in their positions without clashes and to respect the country’s constitution and the agreement as well as the views of others because that is the only way change can happen in South Sudan.”
Speaking from the capital, Juba, Brig. Deng told The City Review on Wednesday that arrangements were underway for the establishment of technical committees from both parties to the Khartoum Peace Agreement to visit the cantonment sites soon.
However, efforts to reach out to the spokesperson of SPLA-IO, Col. Lam Paul Gabriel, for comment were futile by press time as several phone calls went unanswered.
Last week, there were a series of clashes between Dr Machar’s forces and the SPLM/A-IO Kit-Gwang faction of Gen Simon Gatwech.
Both factions have been trading accusations over attacks, despite the recent agreement signed between the SPLM-IG – Kit-Gwang.
Since the Khartoum agreement in January, the rival forces have recorded deadly clashes, and about four clashes were reported last week in which forces of Kit-Gwang claimed control over the Mirmir cantonment site.
“The SPLA-IO forces attacked us at eleven o’clock in Padiar. We repulsed them until we captured the Mirmir cantonment site. The SPLA-IO has gone to Padiar and Ruweng, ” said Gen. Gatkhor Tut Chuol, the commander of SPLA-IO Kit Gwang forces on Saturday.
It remained unclear why the two forces continued to attack each other despite their divorce, even after Dr Machar issued a letter ordering his commanders to stop confrontation with Kit-Gwang, whom he considered part of the SSPDF.
The SPLA-IO accused the Commissioner of Koch County of commanding the SSPDF against them.
However, the SSPDF Spokesperson, Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai, earlier said they have no control over Kit-Gwang forces since they are not integrated into the army.
He blamed Dr Machar’s forces for provoking the protracted clashes.
“The commissioner of Koch County does not have forces under his command. We don’t have our forces that are being commanded by the commissioner. We have our regular commander who commands our troops.
“So, in the first place, the accusation on that basis that our commissioner ordered forces to attack them is not true because we don’t have forces at Mirmir, our forces are in Leer,” Maj Gen Lul said.