JUBA — The Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA) led by South Sudan’s first vice-president Riek Machar has accused the National Salvation Front (NAS) led by General Thomas Cirilo of waging offensives in Central Equatoria state’s Kajo-Keji.
The SPLA-IO accusation comes after it reported that NAS forces under renegade General Kenyi Loburon in Kajo-Keji attacked its bases at Kajo-Keji’s Kiju village resulting in the killing of one SPLA-IO soldier.
“Yesterday the 25/04/2020 at about 6:00AM, NAS remnants under the command of Lt. Gen. KENYI LOBURON, attacked the SPLA IO defensive position of Kiju in Kajo Keji. They killed two SPLA-IO soldiers and wounded one (1) other,” Col. Lam Paul Gabriel who is the spokesman of the Machar-led movement said in a statement seen by Sudans Post.
“The aggression continued today the 26/04/2020 as NAS forces attacked the SPLA-IO position of Kala 2 in Kajo Keji county at about 6:00AM and killed one SPLA-IO soldier while three (3) others sustained minor injuries,” the statement added.
It said “The SPLA-IO in a warning-shot, repulsed and pursued the attackers to their base in Lainya county with 12 enemy casualties and seven AK47 recovered in good working condition.”
“These attacks by NAS forces are meant to disrupt the training of the Unified Forces in Morota, and that is a clear declaration of war against the SPLA IO by NAS command, which will not be tolerated any longer.
“The SPLA-IO leadership calls upon the CTSAMM and UNMISS to investigate these attacks as soon as possible.
“The SPLA-IO remains committed to the implementation of the peace agreement, while defending itself against these unnecesaary aggressions by NAS forces.”
