December 8, 2019(Nyamilepedia) — Latest reports from South Sudan’s Northeastern Upper Nile confirmed that government forces have carried out more offensives this morning and burned down Jekow, a village in Maiwut State.
According to the residents, the offensives are led by Maj. Gen. Ochan Puot, a former SPLA-IO officer who recently re-joined the government and pledged to take control of the area known as Gajaakland in Eastern Nuer from the main armed opposition, SPLM/A(IO).
Tension has been reported in the area between Gajaak subclans since Gen. Ochan returned to Maiwut from Juba three weeks ago and fighting resumed the day before yesterday, December 6, 2019.
“There is fighting since Yesterday between forces belonging to Ochan Puot and those of the [SPLM] IO under Dr. Riek [Machar Teny]. It was very heavy and we could hear the gun,” the residents report to Nyamilepedia earlier on.
“The forces of Ochan Puot who works in the interest of the government of South Sudan have attacked out forces and that is the reason of the fighting” said an SPLA-IO official said without giving further details.
On the other hand, government supporters alleged that it is the SPLA-IO that attacked the government bases, however, areas like Jekow have been under control of the SPLA-IO since the beginning of the conflict in 2013.
Attempts to reach the forces in the area to confirm the number of casualties were not returned at the time of this writing.
More updates to follow ….
