Calm returns to Upper Nile after SSPDF, SPLA-IO clashes
The situation has returned to normalcy following Thursday’s clashes between the main armed parties to a revitalised peace agreement in Upper Nile State.
The South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) general headquarters said on Friday evening that it received no report of fresh fighting from its field commander, signalling calm.
“I have not received a report from the field commander today,” Gen. Lul Ruai, the SSPDF Spokesperson, told The City Review yesterday.
“The area where the incident occurred has no mobile network.” [There is no problem] I think so.”
Col. Lam Paul Gabriel, the SPLA-IO Spokesperson, was unable to comment by press time as he declined to respond to The City Review’s several phone calls.
The exact location of the clashes remains disputed, as both Gen. Lul and his counterpart, Col. Lam on Wednesday had different accounts of the story. They accused each other’s forces of initiating the attack in Upper Nile, Thursday morning.
Gen. Lul said the SPLA-IO was ‘officially in war with SSPDF’ in the fight he said was ongoing in Maiwut County of Upper Nile State.
“Today, March 24th, 2022, at dawn, SSPDF Forces, under the command of Major General James Khor Chuol Giet, in Malual-Gathoth, Maiwut County, of Upper Nile State came under deliberate attacks,” said Gen. Lul.
But in a reply, the SPLA-IO Spokesperson, Col. Lam Paul Gabriel said, “This morning the SPLA-IO read with dismay the baseless accusation made by the SSPDF spokesperson that the SPLA-IO forces under the command of Lt. Gen. Duit Yiech attacked the SSPDF forces in Malual Gahoth.”
He added, “The fight happened in Guol which is a base of the SPLA-IO in Longechuk County, not Maiwut as claimed by Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang. The attackers came from Malual Gahoth. That means the SSPDF are the aggressors. “
However, the SSPDF general headquarters blamed the SPLA-IO for launching attacks on their defectors and turned the blame on the government’s forces on several occasions.
Early this week, SPLA-IO members of the security mechanism boycotted the R-JMEC meeting, accusing their peace partner, the SSPDF, of continuing to violate the cessation of hostility agreement by attacking their bases and training centres in some parts of the country.
