Deteriorating Relations Between Pibor and Juba, Five Soldiers Killed!

March 31, 2015(Nyamilepedia) — On Friday, 27th March, 2015, forces of SPLA-Pibor ambushed a government pick-up truck along Gurumuk-Pibor road and killed 5 soldiers. Three among the dead were identified as members of Cobra faction under David Yau Yau.

According to Brigadier General Marko Monyjor Ayook, the attack was laid in self-defense after members of SPLA-Juba attacked their soldiers.

“Today afternoon, Friday 27^th-March-2015, in self-defense our forces burnt down a pickup land-cruiser carrying SPLA-Juba soldiers along Gumuruk-Pibor road.” Brig. Gen. Marko said.

“It happened two weeks ago the enemies attacked our soldiers who were on mission from Pibor County to Gumuruk County to receive some of our members.” Gen. Marko explained.

Gen. Marko said the government troops attacked their position in Pibor area at Tenet airstrip in Kavacoc Boma, however, his forces survived the attack, and instead of returning fire, they proceeded to Gumuruk.

“The government forces attacked us at the outskirt of Pibor Town, around Tenet air-field in Kavacoc Boma where their well planned ambush miserably failed. Our forces never paid attention; we continued our journey to Gumuruk County.”Gen. Marko explained to Nyamilepedia

“However, on our return as we were approaching our resting bases, around Bee Boma, locals alerted us that there was a SPLA convoy coming after us.” Brig. Gen. Marko said.

As the government forces approached his base, Marko ordered his forces to take position immediately in “Coat tactic”.

“I, Brig.gen Marko Monyjor Ayook ,who led 250 forces immediately ordered the soldiers to take defensive position under ‘Coat tactic’. Few minutes after 50 soldiers took up position”Gen. Marko elaborates.

“the enemies reportedly appeared where they first sent a truck full of civilians as their shield thinking we would attack the innocent population. Our forces recognized and allowed it peacefully go.” Marko said.

Marko explained that the enemy eventually appeared after 20 minutes at around 12pm in a mounted green pick-up truck, carrying about 20 soldiers, who instantly opened fire at their forces.

“Not more than 20 minutes at exactly 12:00 noon, there came a very speedy texture painted green and mounted with twelve carrying an estimated number of 20 fully-equipped soldiers who instantly opened fire at our forces and as a result our angered forces responded killing five of them (two belonging to Government and three belonging to Cobra forces under David Yauyau) and burnt down their pickup, the rests narrowly survived but incurred severe wounds and ran in different directions.” Marko explains.

In other reports, the people of Pibor under the newly created Greater Pibor Area administration also protest the closure of Juba-Pibor roadwork.

According to the Spokesman of GPAA, Peter Guzulu, the decision, which was passed in Juba without consulting the local population in Pibor is deemed illegal and unconstitutional by the Murle ethnic group at the grassroots.

“The closure of the road first of all is unconstitutional. When you want to close the road constructed between two states and you want to close it for whatever the reason you should consult the concerned authorities,” Peter Guzulu said on Thursday last week.

In their argument, Salva Kiir government cannot value people more than wild-life, and therefore such decision must be reversed.

“You cannot favour animals more than human beings, because in our country we are always crying for development and development cannot come without roads,” Guzulu said.

“We are calling on the cabinet to reverse their decision. We don’t want to be perceived as people who solve [a] problem with[a] problem,” he said. “We want it to be solved amicably, diplomatically and peacefully,” he continued..