Weapons captured by Gen. Buay were taken without army chief’s knowledge – source

JUBA – South Sudan’s army chief, Gen. Santino Deng Wol, was not informed in advance that an army convoy was going to leave for Mayom County of Unity State until when the convoy was ambushed by forces of South Sudan People’s Army led by General Stephen Buay Rolnyang.

Yesterday, a few minutes to 9:00 AM, fierce fighting erupted at Bieh Nyang after an eight-vehicle convoy carrying weapons and troops was ambushed by General Stephen Buay Rolnyang’s forces killing at least 40 government soldiers and 7 rebel troops.

Speaking to Sudans Post this morning, a source in Bilpam said the army headquarters refused to issue a press conference yesterday because the convoy that was attacked was dispatched by Kiir’s security advisor Tut Gatluak without the prior knowledge of the SSPDF command.

“What happened is that the presidential advisor on security affairs sent those weapons and troops without the knowledge of the army command. Most of the troops who were in that convoy are his relatives and some of them are his personal bodyguards,” Gen. Buay said.

“So this has now brought issues between the chief of defense forces and the security advisor of the president because the shipment of weapon without a very good security has now led to us arming General Buay’s rebels who had no  guns at all,” the source added.

DIVISION 4 COMMANDER ARRESTED

The commander of fourth infantry division of South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF), Maj. Gen. Kerbino Ruai Tap, and his military intelligence chief, Brigadier General Kugar Yaar, have this morning been arrested and flown to the capital Juba, security sources at Bilpam said.

The arrest comes days after a deadly attack on Mayom town in Unity State left at least 12 people dead including the county commissioner Maj. Gen. Chuol Gatluak Manimeh.

Chuol was the elder brother of presidential security advisor Tut Gatluak Manimeh.

Speaking to Sudans Post, a security source at Bilpam said Gen. Ruai was arrested in Bentiu and brought to Juba by force on Tuesday afternoon and is to remain under a house confinement until the government find circumstances leading to death of Mayom commissioner.

“Yes it is true. General Kerbino Ruai Tap was arrested in Bentiu, Baar, in the morning and now he has been put under house arrest here in Juba and he has been told to remain there until when the investigation into the death of commissioner is completed,” he said.

The source also said Brigadier-General Kugar Yaar, chief of military intelligence for division four, was also flown to Juba along side Gen. Ruai and are told to stay in their houses.

“Also, Brigadier General Kugar Yaar who is the military intelligence commander of SSPDF division in Bentiu has also been brought to Juba with him (Gen. Ruai) and this is what has happened,” he added.

He said that authorities in Unity State in collaboration with the national government lunched an investigation into the killing of the Mayom county commissioner and that General Ruai and the military intelligence commander “are being accused of negligence because the army believes that the death of General Chuol Gatluak could have been prevented.”