Top S. Sudan army commander escapes assassination attempt: sources
Più fonti militari hanno dichiarato che un progetto per assassinare un comandante dell'esercito del Sud Sudan (SPLA), rimasto fedele al governo centrale, è stato sventato ieri (domenica).
Gunmen reportedly attacked Lt. Gen. Johnson Gony Biliu’s convoy while
he was conducting an assessment of the general security situation in
areas around Upper Nile state capital. Malakal. Biliu is the commander
of the SPLA’s sector II in Malakal.
According to sources, the
incident occurred in an area between Anakdiar and Baliet county, some 54
kilometres east of Malakal town.
It remains unclear who masterminded the attack, and Sudan Tribune
was unable to independently verify the claims as no official statement
has been released from the office of the army spokesperson.
Calls by Sudan Tribune to the cell phone of the army’s spokesperson on Sunday were not returned.
Meanwhile,
local officials claimed fighting had occurred in Doleib Hill, a former a
mission station established by the American Inland Mission, located
about 16kms south of Malakal town, on the northern bank of the Sobat
River.
“Doleib Hill had fallen to the rebel control. The fighting
between the two groups of soldiers divided over tribal allegiances and
personal interests and connection broke out yesterday (Saturday)
evening. It started at 9pm (local time) and stopped at around 10pm. It
did not take long before it fell”, a government official told Sudan Tribune on Sunday from Malakal, adding that police and security forces had fled the area.
He also confirmed another attempt to take Baliet county by armed elements loyal to the former vice-president, Riek Machar.
“Our
forces fought them today (Sunday) in Baliet. They attempted to advance
but they were repulsed. Their intention is to overrun the area so that
it becomes the opportunity for them to close the oil. This is where they
are heading now, but I don’t think they will succeed. We have a huge
force there and we are getting reinforcement tomorrow”, the official
said.
In a separate interview with Sudan Tribune, Baliet
county commissioner James Tor Monybuny confirmed that there have been
several attempts by armed civilians from neighbouring counties -
predominantly inhabited by the Nuer ethnic group - to take control of
the area since Friday.
“There have been several attacks to create
chaos in the area and harming the stability and national security of the
country. There are people who do not value peace”, Monybuny said.
He
claimed the group currently attempting to take control of the area has
come from Nasir and the surrounding areas. Nasir is a known stronghold
for hardline supporters of Machar and was the former deputy’s
headquarters during the 1991 split.
Conflict erupted in South
Sudan on 15 December after rival members of the Nuer and Dinka tribes in
the presidential guards clashed in the capital, Juba.
President
Salva Kiir, who hails from the Dinka tribe, has accused Machar, a Nuer,
of orchestrating a coup attempt to overthow the government.
The violence has since spread throughout the country, including Jonglei, Unity and Upper Nile states.
Source Sudan Tribune
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