South Sudan ceasefire monitors launch investigation into killing of Mayom commissioner

JUBA – South Sudan ceasefire monitors said Friday that they have launched an investigation into the recent killing of the commissioner of Mayom County of the country’s Unity State alongside 11 SSPDF soldiers.

On 22 July, 12 army service members, including Mayom commissioner Maj. Gen. James Chuol Gatluak, were killed and 13 others wounded in an attack on Mayom town.

South Sudan People’s Movement/Army (SSPM/A), an armed group, operating under the former SSPDF commander of the 1^st and 5^th infantry divisions, Gen. Stephen Buoy Rolnyang, claimed it carried out the attack in  Mayom County to retaliate for a 19 July attack by SSPDF.

General Asrat Denero Amad, Chairperson for the Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangement Monitoring and Verification Mechanism (CTSAMVM), said the investigation is underway.

“The situation reemerged as a result of armed clashes between SSPM/SSPA and SSPDF in Mayom which occurred on 22nd July 2022 that killed the commissioner of Mayom and other unidentified numbers of soldiers and civilians which has aggravated the tension in the area,” he during CTSAMVM’s regular monthly meeting in Juba on Friday.

“CTSAMVM will continue investigating this situation,” he added.

General Denero condemned clashes between rebel forces and the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) in the country’s northern oil-rich Unity State.

“The tension between the Parties in Unity and the Upper Nile States sub-sided to some extent however; we remain very concerned about the recent reports of tensions between the Parties in the Unity States that severely strain the peace process,” he said.

He said CTSAMVM remains concerned about the continued occupation of Mir Mir, Liang, and Jekou Cantonment Sites in Unity and the Upper Nile States respectively by SSPDF.