Machar spokesman denies reported fighting at Magenis, slams Kitgwang ‘propaganda’

JUBA – South Sudan’s main armed opposition group, SPLM-IO, led by First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny has denied reports of fighting in Magenis’s Kitgwang in which holdout opposition commanders under the overall command of General Simon Gatwech Dual claimed that forces loyal to Machar attacked them at dawn on Monday.

In a statement to Sudans Post earlier this morning, the spokesman of the Kitgwang faction General William Gatjiath Deng claimed that forces loyal to First Vice President Machar attacked their forces at Tabaldi in which he claimed that their forces defeated the alleged attackers “in disarray”.

“The SPLA (IO) Military unit at “Tabaldi” 25k from (Kit-Gwang) Magenis has heavily attacked right now by the forces loyal to the former Chairman Dr. Riek Machar, despite the ceasefire that he had claimed three (3) days ago,” Gatjiath said in a statement extended to Sudans Post earlier today.

However, in a statement to Sudans Post this evening, SPLM-IO Director of Information and Public Relations and Acting Press Secretary at the office of the First Vice President Puok Both Baluang said the claim is propaganda mean to mislead the people and the membership of the SPLM-IO saying there was actually no fighting in Magenis.

“The SPLM/A (IO) would like to refute categorically the immature statement made by the Kit Gwang group spokesperson, Brig. Gen. William Gatjiath Deng, today August 16, 2021 on his Facebook Page, alleging that the SPLA (IO) forces has attacked their forces in Tabaldi which about 25 kilometers from Magenis in Upper Nile State,” he said.

“The SPLA (IO) forces in Magenis, Upper Nile State are committed to the ceasefire. However, they reserve the right to natural self-defense. The SPLM/A (IO) would like to assure the public that there was no any attack anywhere. This is a fabricated information and propaganda which aimed to destabilize the area,” he added.