In Unity state, the warring factions are defending their respective states from each other. The loyal forces are defending Warrap state, the home state of Salva Kiir from the rival forces. The freedom fighters, on the other hand, are defending Unity state, the home of Dr. Riek Machar from the government troops. Most parts of Unity state including Leer, Machar’s home town, are devastated by the conflict. Most of the towns and villages were burnt down by the government troops within the last four months.
In Northern and Western Bahr el Ghazal, troops from Nuer and Equatoria tribes are still defecting after the trainees were brutally attacked in Mapel. More than 220 were reportedly killed on instance by the government troops and those that fled Mapel are being hunted in the forests of Barh el Ghazal.
According to Brig. Gen Gatwech Gach Makuach, the ethnic targeting of unarmed Nuer trainees started after an unarmed Nuer soldier was beaten to death by a group of attackers in the market.
Reports from Wau town topamax buy alleged that 5 generals including Brigadier General Gatwech Gach Makuach and Brig Gen. James Ochan Puot, who was in charge of Mapel training center have defected with a huge army. Brig. Gen. Gatwech believes that they did not want to cause harm to the local population, and therefore withdrawn peacefully.
“We didn’t want to cause harm to the civil population or destruction to their properties, so we had to march out,” Gatwech said.
Gatwech believes that they withdraw in self-defense after they were targeted base on ethnicity, however, Gatwech claims that they are stationed outside the state capital, Wau.
Loyal troops have defected in other locations including Duk in Jonglei state and Wunyiik in Northern Barh el Ghazal state, as reported by Aweil East commissioner. The defected troops in Jongle statei joined the SPLA [in opposition] forces in the areas, while the troops in Northern Bahr el Ghazal are seeking safe exits to join the opposition forces in the nearby Western Bahr el Ghazal and Unity state.
The government of South Sudan is running a “30 days campaign” to capture Dr. Riek Machar, the head of armed oppositions within the next few weeks, contrary to president Salva Kiir’s willingness to meet Machar. President Museveni issued a four-days dateline for Machar to surrender in December, however, Uganda is currently longing to evacuate its troops, claiming that the situation is out of control.
The government of Uganda has failed to capture Joseph Konyi since 1986 and the South Sudan government, under Salva Kiir, has failed to capture a rebel leader in the battlefield for the last nine years.
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Nasir, An Eminent Target In South Sudan Civil War
Is Uganda Giving Up On Its Rescue Mission?
Defecting generals from W. Bahr el Ghazal’s Wau town speak out
General acknowledges another defection on Jonglei front
