Juba, Jan 17 (IANS): At least 16 people, including a soldier, have been killed since clashes erupted between the South Sudan People's Defense Forces (SSPDF) and the Sudan People's Liberation Army-in Opposition (SPLA-IO) in Nagero County, officials said.
Henry Bangada Assaya, commissioner of Nagero County, said the violence has displaced over 79,000 people, many of whom are now hiding in the bush, Xinhua news agency reported.
"The fighting was still ongoing even on Wednesday evening. I witnessed heavy army weapons heading to where the fighting erupted," Bangada told Xinhua on Thursday by phone. He noted that the fighting has spread to Bazia in Western Bahr El Ghazal State.
Lul Ruai Koang, spokesperson for the SSPDF, said the clashes began after SPLA-IO forces refused to dismantle an illegal checkpoint at Kubri-Boo Bridge.
"Initially, we thought it was the repercussion of that individual officer with few elements from the SPLA-IO that were resisting the removal of the roadblock, but after the removal of the roadblock, we were attacked at Kubri-Boo Bridge, and we repulsed them, but they came back again," Koang said.
According to Koang, SPLA-IO forces crossed into SSPDF-held territory on Tuesday evening and launched an ambush, resulting in the death of one soldier and injuries to three others. SSPDF forces faced two more attacks at Kubri-Boo and a third at Zamoi.
He said SPLA-IO soldiers crossed from their territory on Tuesday evening and launched an ambush, resulting in the death of one soldier and injuries to three others. SSPDF forces faced two more attacks at Kubri-Boo and a third at Zamoi.
However, Ali Solomon Simon, SPLA-IO sector commander in Nagero, blamed the SSPDF for initiating the conflict by attacking SPLA-IO forces at a cantonment site.
"Prior to the fighting, we were here in the cantonment site, waiting for the second phase of training of the unified forces, and I don't know why the government brought their forces here to start fighting my forces," Simon said.
He expressed frustration over the situation, saying, "If they wanted my forces to vacate the roadblock, we should have sat down and discussed it, but now they started a war with my forces. I am disappointed about this situation, because we are supposed to be implementing the 2018 revitalised peace agreement, but the government soldiers are instead fighting us."
Simon also confirmed that the fighting has spread to Bazia, where his forces are now stationed.