Unity State, South Sudan
April 5, 2022—Unity State’s Commissioner of Koch County Gen. James Koang Biel has attacked the positions of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-In-Opposition SPLA (IO) under the First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny. The SPLA (IO) military spokesman said.
On 3rd April, 2022 the parties to the R-ARCSS reached a concensus on the command structure of the Unified Forces where they pledged to cease hostilities as required by the terms of peace deal.
In a statement seen by Nyamilepedia, the SPLA (IO) Spokesperson Col. Lam Paul Gabriel says that their forces were attacked yesterday evening in both Padeh and Boaw by forces commanded from Mirmir by Koch County Commissioner Gen. Koang Biel.
“.. This evening, Koch County commissioner moved his forces out of Mirmir and attacked the SPLA (IO) positions of Boaw and Padeh just days after the principals recommitted to COHA in Juba on 3rd April, 2022”, Col. Paul said in a statement obtained by Nyamilepedia.
According to Col. Paul, Commissioner Koang launched an offensive against their forces despite several attempts made by JDB and NTC leadership to discourage his actions.
“.. This aggression happened despite the series of communication made to the commissioner from Joint Defense Board (JDB) and National Transitional Committee (NTC) Leadership”, the armed opposition spokesperson added.
Last month, commissioner Gen. Koang Biel attacked the SPLA (IO) forces and repulsed them from their cantonment site in Mirmir Payam in Koch County.
Such attack was noted with concerns and condemned strongly by the SPLA/SPLM (IO) leadership and international community and it was considered as violation of the 2018 Ceasefire Agreement by the SPLM (IG)-led forces.
