Monday, March 27, 2017(Nyamilepedia) —- A heavy fighting between the warring factions of SPLA from 6Am this morning, March 27, 2017, in Kajo-Keji has resulted in many casualties and swapping of prisoners of war.
According to SPLA-IO spokesman, Col. William Gatjiath Deang, the rebels have freed at least 12 prisoners from government detention camps but captured and detained 14 government militias known as Mathiang Anyoor after defeating the government troops in Kajo-Keji town.
“The gallant SPLA-IO forces also managed to rescue and free from one dirty and inhumane Kajo-Keji prison more than twelve (12) young men and one woman who were arbitrary arrested and were just about to be executed without charge.” Said Willaim Gatjiath Deang, SPLA-IO spokesman.
Col. Gatjiath believes that the SPLA-IG attacked their position along Kajo-Keji road and when they returned fire the government troops retreated to their headquarters where they were pursued and flushed out by the rebels.
“This morning, at around 6:00am, the hungry and marauding Mathiang Anyor government forces of the brutal and ruthless Jieng Council of Elders (JCE) regime in Juba lunched aggressive and well-coordinated attacks on the Kuku villages in and around Kajo-Keji and along Juba-Kajo-Keji road. The purpose of the attacks was to loot, destroy and erase these villages.” Gatjiath explains.
“Indeed, while intervening to protect the targeted Kuku villages and the civilian population in and around Kajo-Keji, the gallant SPLA-IO forces of Brigade III (3) under the command of Cdr General Lokujo Moses Gabriel engaged the Mathiang Anyor government forces and pursued them towards Kajo-Keji military barrack inside Kajo-Keji town.” Col. Gatjiath continued.
According to Col. Gatjiath, their forces captured the whole of Kajo-Keji at around 11Am.
“By 11:00 am, after successfully defeating the remorseless Mathiang Anyor government forces, the gallant SPLA-IO forces had already taken full and complete control of Kajo-Keji.” He said.
The rebels claimed to have killed 14 government militias in Kajo-Keji fighting without mentioning their loses.
“In the Kajo-Keji fighting, the gallant SPLA-IO forces killed fourteen (14) government soldiers, and captured some twenty-seven (27) newly acquired AKM-47 and 5 PKM in good condition.” Gatjiath said.
“Furthermore, the SPLA-IO Division 2B under CDR Major General John Mabieh Gaar captured nine (9) Mathiang Anyor government soldiers alive and they are being held as Prisoners of War (POW) in one of the SPLA-IO bases in the Kajo-Keji area” He continued.
Since July 2016, South Sudan conflict intensified in Equatoria region as Juba tries to push back rebels and distance threats from major towns and Juba, however, the rebels are fighting back leaving government with very little control along the major routes and villages.
While the government control major towns, SPLM/A-IO controls vast majority of  counties.
According to Taban Deng Gai, the First Vice President who ousted his former Chairman Dr. Riek Machar Teny, Juba would have cleared the countryside and returned peace by May 2017, however, fighting has continued not too far away from the national capital, Juba.
