LEER – Fierce fighting has erupted in Leer County of South Sudan’s Unity State after government-allied militias, backed by the army, launched a violent assault on a Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO) base located east of Leer town.
The attack, occurring early in the morning, has been reported by both residents and senior SPLA-IO officials.
Maj. Gen. Gatgok Khor Riaka, the commander of SPLA-IO’s division 4B, told Sudans Post that the assault targeted Kaigai village, emphasizing that it was instigated by militias led by Gen. Simon Maguek and supported by South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF).
“The confrontation is ongoing at Kaigai village. The attack from Gen. Simon Maguek’s militias, backed by SSPDF forces, commenced at 5:00 AM,” he said.
SPLA-IO spokesperson Lam Paul Gabriel confirmed the attack and revealed that the attackers, associated with General Maguek Gai, had intentions apparently focused on seizing Adok Port, situated east of Leer town.
The spokesman for SPLA-IO’s sector two command confirmed the surprise attack by SSPDF and allied militias at Kaigai, stressing the urgent need to halt the conflict, which poses a threat to the ongoing peace process.
“We call upon all South Sudanese and leaders of Unity State to intervene and stop this needless morning skirmish that erupted in Leer County. It’s our collective responsibility to end this senseless war,” he told Sudans Post in Bentiu.
Escaping residents from Leer expressed said they have been concerned over the past week due to the unusual presence of militias from Koch and Mayendit Counties inside Leer town.
They described today’s outbreak of violence as an expected development, considering the prolonged presence of these militias.
“We’ve been on edge for days. These militias arrived from Koch and Mayendit Counties and their presence in the county headquarters alarmed us,’ shared one fleeing resident, accompanied by two women and children,” said one man fleeing alongside two women, an old man, and children.
Today’s fighting comes after Sudans Post reported in an investigative story last week the tensions between the SSPDF and the main armed opposition SPLA-IO in Leer.
The tensions occurred following last month’s defection of former SPLA-IO sector two commander Maj. Gen. Simon Maguek Gai to the SSPDF.
Maguek announced his defection at the SPLM headquarters in Juba on October 7, and then travelled to Leer on a government chattered flight to Leer town on October 12.
His arrival in Leer sparked tensions in the area as he gathered militias from southern Koch and Mayendit inside Leer town.
To me let the whole world knows that, Kiir Mayardit is not for peace as a matter of fact, as of today ongoing fighting that take place at Leer County in a place call Kai Gai village has now proven that the ongoing peace implementation has now been abrogated by the influence of Salva Kiir being supported or comedy the on-going defections while the peace partners are on the implementation stages.
As a concern citizen of this country let Salva be responsible for today fighting and its casualties.
By Bong news.
Sorry for what happened, it’s unfortunate and unexpected. As a citizen of South Sudan I stand with those displaced and whose loved ones Lost there lives and I call on all the citizens of the country to embrace peace and not get involved in any blame game tribally. We are all in the situation, let’s fight out of it together knowing nobody wants to live in it.
To the leadership know that not as a group are you going to stand before God to give an account but as an individual. Whatsoever you plant that you will reap
In the spirit and the truth let the South Sudan leaders keep the peace of mind and implement the process of the everlasting peace, defections of forces from ( IG) or (IO) in opposition is fruitless can not make any sense to the entirely community-based, you the leaders of the South Sudan all of you lost the sight of the leadership.
Because, there is no good permanent constitutionalism, no justice systems, no accountability, no rule of law, stop what we called fatal Tribelsim, nepotism, and senless war.
With kind regards from Thuok Ter.
Maguek Gai can’t just defected within a month from SPLMIO and joining SSPDF and than wage war to the party he belongs.
Taker Riak Dong have be hold accountable for the incident because Taker and Maguek are blood cousin.
Taker is a commissioner of Leer and he been in Kiir’s regime for a very long time.
Adok fort been always a feeding Huff for residents of the whole Southern Unity State though Maguek to cause trouble over there will be rewards by Kiir’s regime.
I lost my brother in this incident ( rest in peace) and I didn’t appreciate what Maguek and Taker had done.