BENTIU – South Sudan army has this morning attacked three areas where forces belonging to rebel leader Gen. Stephen Buay Rolnyang are stationed sparking fierce fighting that has claimed at least 17 lives from both sides, government and opposition officials say.
“The fighting is being heard here in Mayom town to the direction of Manyang, Mathiang and Mulbang but we haven’t yet got more details other than that seventeen people are said to be killed and two among them are civilians,” one government official said from Mayom on phone.
“I am also told that ten of those killed are rebels and the other five are members of South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) under the command of division four,” the senior administrative official further added.
Another official told Sudans Post separately in Bentiu that Gen. Tito Biel Wiech was dispatched yesterday with the aim to ‘restore law and order’ following the attack on the South Sudan army convoy that was coming from Juba.
“What I know is that General Tito Biel Wiech has been ordered to go and clear the area from those bandits and restore law and order because the situation can get out of hand we may return to square one again if it is not handled with care,” the official said.
GEN. BUAY CLAIMS VICTORY
For its part the rebel South Sudan People’s Movement/Army (SSPM/SSPA) led by General Stephen Buay Rolnyang said their positions in Mathiang, Mulbang and Manyang came under attack from SSPDF forces in two directions and claimed victory.
“This morning at around 8:00 AM, South Sudan Local Time, the forces loyal to Juba regime, has launched a heavily coordinated attacks on our SSPA forces around Manyang, Mathiang and Mulbang.The attacks came in (2) directions,” the group said in a statement extended to Sudans Post.
It said that one attack was coming from the direction of Bahr el Ghazal and the other was coming from the direction of Mayom County.
“The mighty SSPA Special forces Unit of the SSPA under the leadership of General Stephen Buay had excessively defeated the enemy and immediately repulsed the attackers from all directions particularly Manyang, Mathiang, and Mulbang,” the statement said.
“Therefore, the SSPA under the leadership of General Stephen Buay, must always remain vigilant and shall continue defend themselves from enemy forces,” it added.
