JUBA – The holdout South Sudan United Front/Army (SSUF/A) led by Gen. Paul Malong Awan said on Tuesday that government forces have continued to attack their positions in different parts of the country with the most recent attack being in Western Equatoria state where three government soldiers were killed as a result.
In a statement, the SSUF/A military spokesman Col. Philip Deng Kuol said the attack occurred on December 10 during the evening hours in Tambura County of Western Equatoria state and continued for over 30 minutes and ended with the defeat of the attackers who have since lost at least three servicemen from their side as well as a number of weapons.
“The South Sudan United Front/Army (SSUF/A) has experienced an intended continues assaults waged by regime’s forces on our bases in Western Equatoria State. The renewed counterattacks flared up on the 10 of December at 5pm Juba local time on Dore SSUF/A military forward base under the command of Major General Thon Chiluel Mathou in Tambura County, Western Equatoria State. These unprovoked offensives by SSPDF have had all been resisted in a fortified operations by our forces in defense of their positions,” Col. Deng said in the statement extended to Sudans Post this afternoon.
“Meanwhile during the fight that lasted 35 minutes, SSUF/A invincible forces loyal to Gen. Paul Malong Awan pushed away the then attacking government forces and remain in control of the entire territorial ground. Also in the same process, SSUF/A gallant forces killed 3 SSPDF soldiers, recovered over 8 rifles, 35 tents and 2 cartridge boxes in a good condition,” he added.
The senior opposition military officer further condemned the attack and accused President Salva Kiir’s government of working to derail the efforts of the Sant’Egidio Community in bringing together the parties to the conflict to a negotiating table to end the war once and for all.
“In addition, SSUF/A condemns in its strongest term possible this Kiir’s military use more than a pen contemplated to wreck any mean of return to the table in Rome. And we call upon the Community of Sant’Egidio and CTSAM-VM ceasefire body to set a watchful eye and bring those claimed the responsibility for attacks to book,” he said.
“Lastly, we are still in a position to respect the compromised ceasefire inked in 2017 in Addis Ababa and the Rome Resolution. But, SSUF/A, however, reserves the right to self-defense against any aggression,” the rebel military officer further said.
