South Sudan’s armed group fighters opposed to government. |Courtesy image|.
By Vincent Samuel,
The South Sudan government’s forces, SSPDF (South Sudan People’s Defence Forces)—formerly SPLA, (Sudan People’s Liberation Army), clashed with fighters of the National Salvation Front (NAS) faction of General Thomas Cirilo Swaka, in Magwi County of Eastern Equatoria State on Sunday (19 May).
NAS Spokesperson, Colonel Yongule Emmanuel accused the government troops of ambushing the NAS platoon in Obbo Boma of Magwi County but he, however, declined to indicate the number of casualties.
He urged the people of Magwi County to remain calm, citing that his forces were not in the area for an offensive.
On his part, the Spokesperson of SSPDF, Major General Lul Ruai Koang confirmed that indeed the government forces clashed with the NAS fighters in Magwi County on Sunday.
General Lul said the SSPDF soldiers who were patrolling the area managed to neutralize three NAS fighters and recovered four AK-47 rifles, adding that, the government lost a soldier in that brief armed clashes.
NAS faction of General Thomas Cirilo declined to take part in the ongoing Nairobi high-level peace talks being mediated by Kenya’s retired General Lazaros Sumbeiywo, under the auspices of Kenya’s President William Ruto.
Late last year, President Salva Kiir of South Sudan wrote to his Kenyan counterpart, William Ruto, an official request to mediate peace talks between the transitional government of national unity and the holdout groups that declined to sign the revitalized peace agreement in 2018 in a bit to find lasting solution to over a decade old armed conflict in the world’s youngest country.
Real SPLM of Pagan Amum Okech, the South Sudan People’s Movement/Army group of General Stephen Buoy Rolnyang, and the South Sudan United Front group of General Paul Malong Awan accepted President Kiir’s invitation to dialogue with the government.
NAS faction of General Thomas Cirilo rejected the invitation citing security concerns and Nairobi as a venue for the peace talks. General Cirilo instead prefers Rome as a neutral venue for genuine peace talks with the government.
