![Former SPLA-IO commander turned government ally General Ochan Puot [Photo via Facebook]](https://i0.wp.com/www.sudanspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/78791143_10218545866135152_2288877171134955520_o.jpg?ssl=1)
This comes just a day after the main armed opposition group said South Sudan army forces launched attacks against several positions belonging to the SPLM-IO in Longechuk and Maiwut Counties in Upper Nile state.
“This is to confirm that the SPLA-IO base in Jekou has been taken by the government forces led by General Ochan Puot who traveled to Maiwut last week after having been in the capital Juba for several months,” one senior SPLA-IO officer said from Juba.
“They attacked many positions belonging to us but they did not manage to capture the other bases and we repulsed them. The reasons why they were able to capture this base is that our soldiers didn’t expect war there,” the officer added.
In a statement on Monday evening, SPLA-IO spokesman Colonel Lam Paul Gabriel said their forces have been attacked several times with the attacks in Maiwut and Longechuk ongoing.
“On 20/03/2022 at about 8:30am, the SSPDF launched aggressive simultaneous attacks against the SPLA-IO positions of Jekow, Lolnyang, Wang Kuarbiy and Kuerkeem in clear violation of CoHA signed on 21st December 2017,” he said in the statement.
The senior SPLA-IO officer further said that “These continuous intentional aggressions against the SPLA-IO do not only show lack of political will but also intent to take the country back to a full scale war.”
![Vatican Logo for Pope Francis' Visit to South Sudan in July 2022. [Photo by Vatican]](https://i0.wp.com/www.sudanspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/cq5dam.thumbnail.cropped.750.422.png?resize=120%2C86&ssl=1)
![Newly-appointed Chairperson of SPLM-IO National Youth League Jackson Wani. [Photo via Facebook]](https://i0.wp.com/www.sudanspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/108118272_3096065420440667_5361748281148864218_n.jpg?resize=120%2C86&ssl=1)
To be honest with you guys, I think Dr. Riek Machar Teny was the one who taught all these generals and this is why it said, what went around it may come around you. If the father shown violence to his children guess what, his Children will do exactly what his father taught them.
The solution for all these former rebels is to do what late general Paulino Matip Nhial had done. He brought 55000 militia and 500 ranking officers and immediately he told them, we have become an independence country therefore, there is no need to looked for peace agreement and finally reintegrated them into SPLA. The process of making unification of SPLA IO forces with SSPDF is not going anywhere because of mistrust between two leaders. I said time and time again that, Dr. Riek Machar Teny need to give up on Army and refocus on his political platform because he is a academic guy although his own records during 30 years wouldn’t help him but he has to try instead of putting himself in the middle of conflict which is too difficult for him to overcome.
His allies have finally understood the way Dr. Riek Machar did things special, the appointment of his relatives have turned off msny of his supporters of the SPLA I0 and there is no way for him to convince thrm again because are not like animals. You can misleading your animals for years in your yards and they will still following what you want however, human beings are completely different because they have a power of brain to thinks.