Machar secures release of captives in Abyei-Twic conflict, says minister  

ABYEI – South Sudan’s First Vice President Riek Machar secured release of a man and his two daughters after they were taken hostages by armed youth from Warrap State’s Twic County, Abyei Administrative Area spokesperson, Bulis Koch Aguar said.

It was unclear as to when the captives were taken, but they were released and handed to the UN mission base in Rum-Amer County, according to the Abyei information minister.

“The First Vice President and UNISFA peacekeepers can attest to the release of the captives,” Koch said in a statement extended to Sudans Post on 7 February.

Authorities in Abyei Special Administrative Area also appealed to the South Sudan government to expedite the implementation of the recent presidential orders by deploying a neural force along the borders between Abyei and Warrap.

The move, it said, is to maintain peace and stability between both communities.

The call came in reference to a press release which was issued by the Warrap State Minister of information on 5 February 2024, denying the involvement of Twic Armed Youth and Gai Machiek militias in the latest attacks on Abyei villages.

The Abyei Information minister, Bulis Koch Aguar, however, claimed the government of Warrap State is reluctant to implement the recent presidential orders by continuing to host the renegade militia Gai Machiek in Twic County of Warrap.

He further said Warrap State authorities organized a rally to dismiss the presidential order which directs it to allow the renegade militia to move out of the state to any other state of his choice, a move that has until now not been implemented.

Koch also dismissed the allegations made by the Warrap State Minister of Information that Abyei Box is suspended and Abyei is suspended from conducting operations in the southern parts of River Kiir, calling it a wide lie without any truth.

The Abyei Information minister dismissed as untrue allegations that Abyei youth were involved in the attack on Anyiel Kuac and Malual Aleu 19 January 2024.

According to the Abyei government spokesperson, Twic armed youth and Gai Machiek militia raided 1,000 heads of cattle at Awolnhom in Alal County on 4 January, took the animals to Ajak-Kuac and later shared among themselves.

The incident reportedly occurred close to the UN mission in Abyei (UNISFA) compound.

“On this note, Abyei Special Administrative Area, is aware of all the plans and all sorts of heinous acts despite the presidential orders which called for peace and stability between the two sisterly communities,” partly reads the press statement.