![South Sudan army spokesman Major General Lul Ruai Koang [Photo via Facebook]](https://i0.wp.com/www.sudanspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/117349680_351026179628689_1360036505826856194_o.jpg?resize=1024%2C515&quality=89&ssl=1)
This comes after the Anyuak youth said in a statement on Monday that the South Sudan army used helicopters to attack civilians who they said have not done anything wrong. They said that the fighting begun when the SSPDF in the area attacked to kill its own former commander there.
The Anyuak youth statement accused Colonel Achuil Ayat, the SSPDF commander in Pochalla, of assassinating Joseph Okwom in cold blood in front of his family and the entire community.
The statement also alleged that the SSPDF sent two helicopter gunships to launch an indiscriminate attack on civilians in Pochalla town.
However, SSPDF spokesman Lul Ruai Koang said in a brief social media statement that the use of airpower by the army is ‘justified’ after the armed youth breached the southern part of the defensive tranches dug by the SSPDF troops located in the area.
“SSPDF Command had to provide air support to own forces in Pochalla South County after hostile armed youth attacked and breached southern part of defensive trenches,” he said.
The Anyuak youth have denied that they were the first to attack the SSPDF and that they organized to response after the army killed their prominent member.
The fighting in Pochalla is the latest in a series of clashes between the SSPDF and armed civilians in the Greater Pibor Administrative Area.
The conflict has displaced tens of thousands of people and has left hundreds dead.
It is unclear what sparked the latest round of fighting, but it is likely linked to the long-standing tensions between the Anyuak and government.
very unfortunate for the whole government with its state apparatus to face its own citizens
shameless army spoke person is trying to twist their evil 😈 cold-blooded killing of a man in front of his entire family, and this is not the times you people to killed Anywak for his positions
as you know that Anywak youths are not Rebel they just want theirs freedom like everybody’s else in South Sudan but your Government deny them that but still you want to control keep them like your slaves in their’s own territory
you telling them not to follow Murli when abduct children, ambushed and kill people in the road, farms or burning people homes
your your Government is not being fair when it cam to Anywak from the beginning
your Government has been fighting with a lot of rebellion but not one when you boom them, but you think is Okey to boom Anywak youths
no matter how much you twist their’s right at will be always shame on you