Gatwech has no presence in Jonglei – Machar’s group

JUBA – South Sudan’s main armed Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM/A-IO) led by First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny has said that its former military chief of staff Gen. Simon Gatwech Dual who broke away from the group in August this year has no presence in Jonglei state after Gatwech’s group accused Machar’s forces of initiating attack on their base in Peiri.

In a statement this afternoon, Brig. Gen. William Gatjiath Deng said forces loyal to First Vice President Machar commanded by Maj. Gen. Michael Wal Nyak attacked their forces at dawn on Wednesday in Pieri. Gatjiath who is in Magenis, northern Upper Nile state, said the attack was immediately repulsed by their forces.

“SPLA-IO would like to announce the fresh attack to the public that Dr, Riek Machar’s forces led by Maj. General Michael Wal Nyak from Motot launched an unsuccessful attack to the SPLA (IO) forces under the leadership of Interim Chairperson and Commander in Chief, Gen. Simon Gatwech Dual early this morning at Peiri at 2 AM,” Gatjiath said in the statement.

However, SPLA-IO spokesman Colonel Lam Paul Gabriel said the Machar-led faction is in full control of the area in Jonglei and that the clashes started when a group of family members of Gen. Gatwech decided to flee opposition base in Pieri saying there is no presence of opposition forces loyal to him in the area.

“Pieri is our area. There is no presence of the Kit-Gwang Declaration there. What happened was that some family members to Gatwech Dual run away from Pieri to Motot,” Lam Paul who is in Juba told Radio Tamazuj separately this afternoon.

But a senior opposition commander in Jonglei confirmed the clashes and said at least 20 soldiers had decided to join General Simon Gatwech Dual, but where told to vacate the area by local residents sparking clash when they refused to vacate.

“The issue started on September, 26. One of our frustrated generals called Brig. Gen. David Hoth Lual plus his followers, including Gen. Tutnyang Gatpal, declared defection from Dr. Machar and joined Gatwech Dual. The reason they got frustrated was due to the prolonged implementation of security arrangements. So, the group then decided to leave Pieri for Paritet village 10 kilometers from Pieri,” Lt. Colonel. Khor Nyang Mabor, a Machar-allied commander in Peiri said.

“They were 20 in number who left but nine came back to us. So, this morning what had happened the community leaders went to convince them to leave their area but they responded aggressively, fighting the community up to Pieri. So, as SPLA-IO forces we responded and pushed them to their area.”

The opposition commander further said that the clashes are still ongoing on the outskirts of Yuai town, and that details about the casualties remain scanty.

“After they were repulsed, our forces came back to Pieri. But the local youth, White Army have been pushing them towards Yuai,” he added.