Gen. Gatwech says Olony attacked Machar ‘not me’

KHARTOUM – South Sudan opposition commander and leader of the breakaway SPLA-IO Kitgwang faction General Simon Gatwech Dual has condemned its implication in the attack which he said was carried out by Agwelek faction of General Johnson Olony on the SPLA-IO forces at Atar.

In a statement yesterday, SPLA-IO spokesman Col. Lam Paul Gabriel said SPLA-IO Kitgwang forces had attacked their positions on Thursday by shelling their base and also targeting areas where there is a huge civilian population.

In reaction, Gatwech’s group said in a statement that his forces are not responsible for the attack on SPLA-IO base, but accused Gen. Johnson Olony’s forces of carrying out the attack which he said he has no idea of.

“The office of the Spokesperson of SPLA-IO Kitgwang Declaration condemns the press release issued by Col. Lam Paul Gabriel, the spokesperson of none Unified SPLA-IO forces of Riek Machar for referring the SPLA-IO Kitgwang Declaration as ‘negative forces’,” the statement signed by the SPLA-IO Kitgwang spokesman Brig. Gen. Alfred Gach reads in part.

“The statement from Col. Lam Paul Gabriel if his intention is to referred to Agwelek Division forces under Gen. Johnson Olony, then he contradicted himself from his previous press release dated 18/ 08/ 2022 when he referred the forces which attacked their position in diel and Phom- El zeraf last month as Agwelek division forces under Gen. Johnson Olony and what prompted him to that reference generalization term?” he asked.

“In regards of yesterday attack in Diel and its surrounding, the Agwelek Division forces under Gen. Johnson Olony are responsible for the attacks and the SPLA-IO KD position in Tunja is normal,” the statement concluded.