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Roundup: Fresh clashes erupt in South Sudan's northeastern town

Xinhua, August 2, 2016 Adjust font size:

Fresh fighting erupted on Sunday between troops of South Sudan's President Salva Kiir and those loyal to former deputy President Riek Machar in Nasir town, Upper Nile State, spokesperson for Kiir's government troops, Lul Ruia Koang, told Xinhua on Monday.

The clashes followed renewed fighting between the rival army factions on Saturday in Lainya County of Central Equatoria State.

Koang said the clashes in Nasir started on Sunday morning and again on Monday. He accused Machar's SPLM-IO troops of shelling their positions in Nasir.

Machar's spokesperson, James Gatdet Dak, could not comment on the latest fighting, saying he was still waiting for official reports on the development in Nasir.

Machar fled Juba after some four days of heavy clashes between the rival factions which started on July 7, leaving the fate of a power-sharing government formed in April after more than two years of civil war in the balance.

Tension between the rival troops grew again after President Kiir sacked Machar as first vice president last week following the expiry of a 48-hour ultimatum given for Machar's return to Juba.

Dak on Sunday accused the government troops of attacking their positions in Lainya on Saturday.

He also called for deployment of a third force in Juba, warning: "Or else we will be forced to act further and march to Juba in order to restore peace and security in the capital."

However Koang denied the accusations, saying the government troops acted to protect the civilians and didn't violate a cease fire.

"We had a small engagement with some remnants of the SPLM-IO forces on Saturday. They are on the loose and they have been spreading insecurity. We are not violating the ceasefire. We are only protecting the civilians and their property because this is our mandate," Koang told Xinhua on Monday.

Koang also dismissed allegations by the SPLA-IO that they would be forced to attack Juba if no third force was deployed to provide buffer for the rival forces.

"The SPLM-IO forces are 90 miles northwest of Juba. What capacity do they have to march to Juba? Juba is not threatened," said Koang.

Augustino Kiri Gwolo, the commissioner of Lainya County, told Xinhua by phone that the weekend clashes displaced over 3,000 people. He however said calm had returned to the area and people were returning home.

"There were clashes on Saturday on Wundurub-Lainya road. It was only one day. People have started returning home but to empty houses," said Gwolo. Endit