SPLA-IO general survive grenade attack in Juba

JUBA – A senior opposition commander belonging to the Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO) led by First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny has survived a grenade attack in the Juba suburb of Lemon Gaba, according to a senior opposition officer.

The incident, according to the senior opposition officer who refused to be named, occurred on Tuesday evening when Gen. Tartizio Usini, the visiting SPLA-IO operation commander in Western Equatoria state, was meeting relatives and friend at a Lemon Gaba home.

“This is to confirm that Gen. Tartizio Usini has survived a grenade blast in Juba and up to now we treat it as an assassination attempt because we don’t have information that justifies otherwise and we will treat this as such until when we have information that this incident is by an accident,” the officer said.

He said the none of the people who were sitting with the visiting opposition commander and all the people who were around the scene was hurt in the attack and said they have informed the police whom he said were quick to response to the SPLA-IO plea for investigation.

“Currently, the police are investigating the incident, thank them for responding to our call because it was an attempt that would have cost the life of the person being targeted and also innocent civilians would have died had it not because the criminal threw it to an area missing our place,” he said.

He said the opposition commander has been “moved to a safer place where he will be staying and under the watch of the government as he continues to meet friends and families in Juba.”