May 05, 2017 (Nyamilepedia) —— The SPLM in Opposition under the leadership of former South Sudan First Vice President Riek Machar has retaken the strategic town of Tonga in Upper Nile State,) says SPLM/A(IO spokesperson Brigadier General William Gatjiath Deng.
According to Gatjiath, the town was recaptured in a response to the government provocative attacks on the armed opposition.
“Thursday May 04, 2017 at around 8:30 am this morning, the gallant SPLA-IO forces of Division Seven (7) under the command of Cdr Major General Simon Diang Duoth Deng and Aguelek Division, all are under sector One (1) commanded by Lt. General Johnson Olony responded to the Juba regime aggression and recaptured the most strategic town of Tonga from the Juba regime forces,” says the spokesperson William Gatjiath.
Gatjiath alleged that the SPLM/A-IO forces captured several types of government military equipment including one T-55 Tank, one Wolit, one BM-40 Barrels and 255 AKM-47.
“In the operation, the brave SPLA-IO forces captured the following equipment: One (1) Tanks, T-(55) and One (1) Wolit; Three (3) military Land Cruisers (2) mounted with 12.7 and (1) mounted with 14.5; One (1) Worrol mounted with 14 (4) Barrels; two (2) 120 mm; One (1) D.30; One (1) BM-40 Barrels; Ninety one (91) PKM; Two hundred and fifty five (255) AKM-47,” he continued.
The rebel spokesman claimed besides the material loses, the government also lost one hundred and eighty-one (181) soldiers in Tonga battle alone, as the SPLA-IO forces continued pursuing the residual Mathiang Anyor and Taban Deng militia forces towards Weipanyikang.
In similar incident but separate development, the SPLM-IO reports that it defeated the government forces in Mangok in Upper Nile State and killed in action 43 government soldiers. Like the fighting in Tonga, government forces suffered a huge material loss, William Gatjiath has said.
“Meanwhile, in the fighting in Mangok, the gallant SPLA-IO forces of Division Five (5) killed some forty three (43) Juba regime soldiers, destroyed One Tank (55) and captured two (2) Military Land Cruisers mounted with 12.7. At the time of the press, Guelguk was being surrounded and imminent to be stormed, as fighting intensifies there.”
“Meanwhile, fighting is being erupted in and around Leer and especially at Pilieny Payam in Unity State as the government troops still aggravated the situation in the area by attacking the SPLA-IO bases. They sent out their forces to Thonyor in order to terrify the civilians at the humanitarian base but SPLA-IO forces repulsed the attackers to Pilieny.”
