SSPDF mend cracks with Malong camp
South Sudan People’s Defence forces extended an olive branch to SSUF/A, led by ex-Chief of General Staff, Paul Malong, urging the holdout group to utilise the ceasefire window granted by CTSAMVM to close ranks.
Bilpham spoke a day after SSUF/A issued a statement postponing the arrival of its delegate to the CTSAMVM to Juba, claiming government forces had attacked its bases.
According to South Sudan United Front/Army (SSUF/A) military spokesperson, Col Philip Deng Nguot, the delegates will come to Juba next month but not on Monday as earlier agreed.
“It is unfortunate to inform our affiliates, chapters around the world, the peace partners, the general public and the vulnerable South Sudanese people that after an intensive brainstorming meeting of the leaders of SSUF/A and the R-SPLM under the SOMA umbrella and that of the Sant’Egidio Catholic Community, the entire leadership regrettably resolved to adjourn the trip of SSOMA representative to Juba until next month,” Deng said.
SSPDF response
But in his rebuttal, the SSPDF spokesperson, Maj Gen Lul Ruai, denied the claims of attacks as he maintained that SSUF/A had no army in the mentioned attack areas.
“The attack on Malong forces is untrue.” Malong does not have a presence in the area he has mentioned,” Lul said.
He added that what SSUF/A claimed as an attack on their forces was the arrest of a division 11 finance officer who was accused of stealing the salaries of soldiers.
“What has happened is that we had an officer at the rank of Lt. Col called Akol Ngong, [who] was the finance officer for 11th Infantry division he was sent to deliver salaries in that area and he embezzled, he had stolen some money so he was arrested for that,’’ he said.
Lul called on Malong and the group to respect and utilise the opportunity granted by the peace monitoring mechanism to bring peace to the country and iron out the differences.
“It is far much better for Malong to use the CTSAMVM window that was given to him because he has no soldiers on the ground as he claimed,” Lul said.
“As a former army chief and as a former governor of Northern Bahr El Ghazal, if he has been able to negotiate his way up to that level let him not misuse that opportunity because even if you do research in those areas you will concur with me that this man has no presence on the ground and everyone knows.
“The last time Malong was present on the ground was two years ago, and they were wiped out at battle at a place called Wathok.” That was the end of their presence. Around 200 of his forces at that time were killed and hundreds were captured including officers at the rank of major general.” he said.
He added that some rebel groups who are threatening peace through propaganda are ‘briefcases’ and do not exist.
However, according to SSUF/A, its officer, Brig Gen Akol Ngong Ayok was captured with others on Saturday in the Bar Rurud area by the SSPDF.
Col Nguot accused the government forces of moving their base in the area to attack their outpost, resulting in the abduction of their operation commander in Northern Bahr El Ghazal.
“The office of the SSUF/A official military spokesman is in a position to inform the community of Sant’ Eigido, the CTSAMVM and general public at large that yesterday at around 4:30 am SSUF/A military base under the command of deputy sector commander Maj General Peter Lueth Akoldit in bar-rurud outpost came under heavy attack by the government forces under the directive of SSPDF commander Maj Gen chol Madol,’’ Nguot noted in a statement.
South Sudan Opposition Movement Alliance (SSOMA) delegation that comprises SSUF/A and Real-SPLM to Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangement Monitoring and Verification Mechanism (CTSAMVM) was expected to arrive in Juba on Monday.
