May 05, 2014(Nyamilepedia) — South Sudan SPLA rebels recaptured Bentiu town in Unity, Gerger and Jalhak in Upper Nile state following major government offensives in the last few days.
A report from James Gatdet Dak, Machar’s spokesperson, confirms that the SPLA in opposition flushed out the heavily armed government troops in Betiu town, Unity state.
“Our gallant freedom fighters have this morning flushed out from Bentiu town the dictatorial forces and their Sudanese mercenaries of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), who are hired by the rogue regime in Juba to kill the people of South Sudan.” Dak stated.
Dak believes that the government troops have “suffered heavy casualties”, however, the exact figures are yet to be verified.
The BBC’s Alastair Leithead, who is currently in the UNMISS compound in Bentiu, has independently confirms seeing a contingent of government troops retreating on Monday.
Dak believes that the SPLA in opposition are closing in on Nasir after it was recently captured by the loyal forces from the opposition.
“In Nasir the national and foreign enemies are being surrounded and will soon be flushed out. In Renk our forces are closing in after capturing Gerger and Jalhak military posts” Dak said.
Nasir, as the opposition’s headquarter, has been relatively calmed until last Friday when the government troops sneaked into the neighboring Ulang county while the two warring leaders welcome John Kerry, the US secretary of state.
President Salva Kiir promised John Kerry to meet his opponent, Dr. Riek Machar, face to face to discuss matters of interim government. Machar hesitated, stating that it’s premature to meet Kiir before the constitution and programs agendas are discussed.
“We need to have a peace agreement first with a new constitution. Putting transitional government first is not realistic,” he further argued.
Kiir, however, believes that African leaders must find their solutions without importing some from non-Africans.
“African problems are African problems and they should get solutions from African leaders. The problem is that some of us think solutions to our problems would come from somewhere else. This thinking must change otherwise we will have solutions which do not address our problems imposed on us”, president Salva Kiir said on Sunday.
The information minister, Michael Makuei Lueth and the silenced vice president, Waggi Igga, have expressed similar feelings about the West.
“Our independence did not come about through outside help. It was not a gift. It was a result of struggle and sacrifices. We fought half a century for independence [from Sudan].” Lueth told Anadolu Agency on Satureday.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, and the UN Special Envoy for Prevention of Genocide, Adama Dieng held meetings with Kiir and Machar last week with hopes to find a peaceful solution and to avert genocides, however, their efforts did very little so far.
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