Bilpam confirms Mayom clashes, says ‘disgraced’ Buay ‘infiltrated’ town to kill commissioner

JUBA – South Sudan army headquarters on Friday afternoon admitted in a statement that forces belonging to rebel leader General Stephen Buay Rolnyang briefly infiltrated Mayom town and killed Commissioner James Chuol Gatluak.

Fighting erupted in Mayom on Friday morning between forces loyal to Gen. Buay’s South Sudan People’s Movement/Army (SSPM/A) and a contingent of South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) station at Mayom resulting in the killing of the commissioner.

Gen. Buay in a statement extended to Sudans Post claimed responsibility for the attack and accused SSPDF forces led by the 4^th infantry division in Bentiu of initiating attacks against their forces in Mayom County.

In a statement this afternoon, Major General Lul Ruai Koang, the SSPDF spokesman said forces of General Stephen Buay infiltrated Mayom County headquarters and killed the commissioner and that the SSPDF has launched a manhunt to find the culprits.

“SSPDF GHQs would like to announce that on July 22, 2022, at about 2:00PM, SSPM/A rebels loyal to renegade and disgraced former Gen. Stephen Buay Rolnyang infiltrated Mayom town,” General Lul said in the statement seen by Sudans Post.

“The little known outlaws under direct command of Maj. Gatluak Majok, deliberately assassinated the Commissioner of Mayom County, Hon. Maj. Gen. James Chuol Gatluak. 9 others died with the Commissioner. The bandits also set ablaze Commissioner’s residence as well as stole about 100 cows,” he added.

He said the “SSPDF Forces had launched a massive manhunt. SSPDF GHQs would like to assure the people of Mayom County, Unity State and South Sudan that the assassinators of Mayom County Commissioner will be paid in thier own.”