JUBA – Forces belonging to controversial South Sudan opposition commander and leader of the breakaway SPLA-IO Kitgwang faction, Gen. Simon Gatwech Dual, have retaken control of SPLA-IO cantonment site in Mirmir of Koch County of Unity state after having been dislodged from the area two days after they captured it from the SPLA-IO, a senior opposition official has said.
Speaking to Sudans Post this morning, a senior member of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) Kitgwang faction in Khartoum said they have received credible information that their forces have retaken control of Mirmir after they were dislodged yesterday by the SPLA-IO forces under First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar.
“Two days ago, we captured Mirmir cantonment site because the SPLA-IO forces attacked our base in violation of the ceasefire and we decided to go and capture the base so that these terrorist forces of former SPLM-IO Chairman Riek Machar do not use it as a launching pad against out bases in Unity state,” the official said from Khartoum on condition of anonymity.
“Yesterday, they attacked us with the help of local youth who are after guns, they wanted to kill us so that they take our guns and that’s why they collaborated with the forces of Riek Machar and they attacked us, because we didn’t want to kill them because they were misled by Riek Machar, we retreated, but we made a comeback this morning after they attempted to follow us,” the official said.
The opposition official further warned that the alleged attacks by Machar’s forces hold an unprecedented threat to the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement and urged Kiir and the guarantors of the 2018 peace agreement to intervene and end the provocations once and for all.
“What we see is an unprecedented threat from these dark forces of Riek Machar and we don’t see any reasons for his actions. The President of the Republic of South Sudan H.E President Salva Kiir Mayardit need to intervene as well as the international and regional community to stop Riek Machar from returning the country to the square one,” he said.
