JUBA – South Sudan’s main armed opposition commander General Simon Gatwech Dual has warned the government in Juba against proceeding with the planned deployment of forces to Upper Nile state saying such moves could only escalate the violence there.
This comes after the presidency said in a statement on Wednesday that President Salva Kiir Mayardit who doubles as the commander in chief of South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) had asked the army to deploy troops to quell Upper Nile violence and protect civilians.
The move by the head of state comes following a public outcry to an earlier statement by the president on Tuesday in which he said that he cannot stop those fighting in Upper Nile state pointing to the complex nature of the conflict.
In a statement this morning, the spokesman of the SPLA-IO Kitgwang faction led by General Gatwech warned against the deployment of troops to Upper Nile to fight along-side Agwelek forces against civilians, saying the White Army involved in the conflict after Agwelek crossed the Nile to attack civilians in Fangak and Ayod counties.
“We the SPLA-KD condemn and warn government forces against involvement in the fight between Colo-Agwelek armed militias and the Nuer white army of Greater Fangak in the west bank of Collo-land,” Brig. Gen. Alfred Gach said in the statement extended to Sudans Post.
“This Nuer group of white army mobilized itself following last July, 2022 General Johnson Olony’s Agwelek’s surprise attack on innocent civilians in Wec Panyikang and other areas closer to it, killing 21 innocent people,” he added.
The senior opposition officer further said that “The current involvement of the government on the side of Agwelek forces is uncalled for as it is going to escalate conflict, with a lot of human casualties and material destruction as the result.
“The SPLA-IO KD is therefore calling the regional and international communities such as IGAD, AU and TRIOKA to timely intervene and de-escalate the conflict by condemning and restraining the government in Juba.
“As we already received an intelligence information that the government is in preparation to re-deploy additional SSPDF forces to Kodok and fight alongside with Agwelek Forces and to strike the Nuer civil defense forces by using both helicopter gunships and infantry on the ground.”