Jan 22, 2017(Nyamilepedia) —— Latest reports from Imatong State indicate that a government troop that has been on offensives in the new state was ambushed and defeated by the armed opposition, SPLA(IO), at around 10 Am this morning.
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According to military governor of Imatong State for the opposition, Gen. Oyet Nathaniel Pierino, forces loyal to president Kiir and allied militia fell into ambush along Magwi-Pajok road on Sunday morning at 10:43Am.
“In the morning of Sunday, 22, 2017, at around 10:43 am, forces loyal to President Salva Kiir accompanied by local militia in Magwi county fell in a well laid ambush along Magwi-Pajok road.” Gov. Oyet announces.
Dr. Oyet, a former professor of political science at Juba University, believes that “the government forces and militia were on their way to burn and pillage the village of Licari suspected to be harboring SPLA-IO forces.”
He said this is not the first time for loyal troops and militias to attack villages to kill civilians, rape women and young girls, and thereafter destroy their property.
“The ambush was a punitive operation aimed at deterring the genocidal forces of the government terrorizing the County.” Gov. Oyet said.
“Magwi and Ayaci as well as pageri County of Imatong state has witnessed government brutality, rape, pillage and indiscriminate arrest for the past six months.” He continued.
During the ambush at least six government soldiers and militias were killed and several others were wounded.
“The government troops were quickly repulsed leaving six bodies and their weapons lying on the ground.” Said Dr. Oyet.
Oyet, a major general in SPLA-IO, accuses the government troops of demanding ransoms from civilians, and also for raiding cattle in the area.
He believes that this is an exploitation policy to leave the local community poor, marginalized and vulnerable.
“The government military have been detaining innocent civilians and demanding ransom of over 200,000SSP per person. The government military demands goat, cows, and chicken. This is a policy of exploitation and making the community poor by looting their resources by themselves.” Dr. Oyet explains.
Dr. Oyet Nathaniel Pierino is a senior member of SPLM/A in Opposition. He defected a few months into the conflict and joined the opposition to demand reforms and federalism to end marginalization and exploitation of minority communities.
Despite that a peace agreement was signed in August 2015 to end the conflict, South Sudan has not witnessed a permanent ceasefire since December 2013. Instead, the civil war has escalated to areas that were relatively calm and peaceful in both Equatoria and Bhar el ghazal.
According to the latest humanitarian reports, nearly 7 millions in a country of 11 million people are in dire need of humanitarian assistance while 2.8 millions others are displaced to refugee camps in neigboring countries.
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1 comment
Only Kiir doesn’t understand that almost 60% of South Sudanese starve because of him.
A third of the population has fled to neighbour countries because of him.
What does it take for him to understand that he is heading totally the wrong way?