he military spokesperson of Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO) has said they lost one soldier and two others were wounded in clashes with elements under the SSPDF in Upper Nile State’s Maiwut County over the weekend.
Col. Lam Paul Gabriel told Radio Tamazuj that the clashes which erupted on Saturday and continued into Sunday, occurred after SSPDF soldiers attacked the SPLA-IO position in Maiwut County’s Kuerkeem area of Jekou Payam.
“These clashes started on Saturday evening when forces loyal to Gen. Ochang Puot who we know is under the SSPDF attacked our forces in Kuerkeem but they were repulsed,” he explained. “Again, on Sunday at 10 am, they resumed their attack but were later repulsed in the afternoon. Unfortunately, we lost one soldier in action during the clashes and two others were injured.”
The SPLA-IO military spokesperson however said that normalcy had returned to Jekou after the clashes and appealed for calm.
“It is very unfortunate that such incidents are continuing with our peace partners. Our acting chief of staff, Gen. Duop Lam, is aware of the incident and I believe the issue will be discussed at the top military leadership so that an amicable solution is found,” he added.
However, Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang, the SSPDF military spokesperson, denied the involvement of their forces in the weekend fighting and said civilians clashed in a place called Bieh near Kuerkeem.
“The clashes involved civilians according to the information I received,” he said. “Civilians were the ones fighting themselves in an area called Bieh. I do not know if those clashes spread to Kuerkeem.”