May 2nd 2019 (Nyamilepedia) – Rebel forces in Western Equatoria’s Gbudue state accused on Wednesday authorities in the state of ordering assault on their base in violation of the permanent ceasefire and the revitalized peace agreement signed in September 2018.
A statement issued by South Sudan National Movement for Change (SSNMC) spokesperson, Daniel Zingifuaboro, said the government forces captured the wife of their sectional commander, her children as well as other unnamed number of those he said were innocent civilians.
South Sudan National Movement for Change (SSNMC) led by Joseph Bakassoro is a member of South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA) led by Gabriel Changson Lew Chang, which is a signatory of the revitalized peace agreement signed by government and opposition groups in September 2018.
In the statement Zingifuaboro issued on Wednesday, the group condemned the assault, calling it a “blatant and intentional’ violation of both the permanent ceasefire agreement signed in June 2018 and the revitalized peace agreement signed in September the same year.
“At around 4:00 am, today, the 1st of May 2019, the high authority of Gbudue State ordered government forces to launch military assault on SSNMC cantonment in Basukangbi County,” said the statement signed by Zingifuaboro.
“South Sudan National Movement for Change (SSNMC) would like to condemn, in the strongest term possible, assault on its cantonment base in Gbudue State. This is a blatant and intentional violation of CoHA and R-ARCSS,” he added.
He called on the army to release the wife of their sectional commander.
“SSNMC demand immediate release of the wife and five children of our Sector Commander plus any civilian incarcerated during the operation,” he said in the statement.
