Malong warns clashes with SSPDF could hamper Rome talks
The South Sudan United Front/Army (SSUF/A) led by the former Chief of Staff of SSPDF, Paul Malong Awan, has raised a concern that the attack on their forces in Lakes State is a threat to the Rome Peace talks.
SSUF/A, a member movement of the South Sudan Opposition Movement Alliance (SSOMA) together with Real SPLM led by Pagan Amum and National Salvation Front (NAS) led by Thomas Cirilo, is holding peace talks with the government for a ceasefire to be realized.
The deputy military spokesperson of South Sudan United Front/Army (SSUF/A), Maj Philip Deng Kuol Nguot yesterday disclosed that an attack on their forces at War-Adhiric area, Rumbek Central County, Lakes State by South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF), was a threat to Rome Talks with the government.
Deng claimed that their forces incurred minor injuries while government forces lost six soldiers and two wounded. He added that SSUF/A had captured 9 AK47 rifles, 1PKM machine gun and that their forces were still in control of War-Adhiric, Lakes State.
“The official SSUF/A Deputy Military Spokesman, barely seizes this position to update the general public, South Sudanese at large and the international community about the government’s declaration of the full scale of war against mighty SSUF/A movement in disguise and this is confirmed to us by numerous offensives orchestrated by government forces on our positions across the country,” Deng said.
“We condemn this large scale of anti-peace campaign staging by the regime on our forces in its strongest term possible. This is an engine of peace distraction and may derail the tabled Rome peace initiative, if without a watchful eye.”
The SSUF/A Deputy Spokesperson called for the intervention of the African Union (AU), the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), and the community of Sant’Egidio to investigate the attack on their forces.
“SSUF/A immediately calls upon the regional blocs, the AU, IGAD and the International community particularly the community of Sant’Egidio to separately investigate these massive assaults on our forces by government troops and hold those responsible for these malicious attacks accountable,” he said.
He assured the public of their movement’s commitment to the Rome talks slated to resume any time within this month.
“We remind the South Sudanese societies within the country or in the diaspora that, SSUF/A is committed to the ongoing Rome initiative meant to find an amicable solution towards war-torn South Sudan…but, we will extend ahead if the government is not going to withdraw its fist,” he concluded.
Not aware
The Spokesperson of South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF), Maj Gen Lul Ruai Koang said he had never heard of any information from Rumbek Central County of Lakes State.
He reiterated that it was already past working hours and could not contact the commanders on the ground to confirm the attack to the City Review Newspaper.
Gov’t delegation ready
Early this month, the Minister for Presidential Affairs, Dr Barnaba Marial Benjamin said that the government delegation was ready and that President Salva Kiir Mayardit had commissioned him to lead the delegation.
Dr Marial said they were only waiting for the date of resumption of talks to be announced by the community of Sant’Egidio so that talks would resume with the South Sudan Opposition Movement Alliance (SSOMA).
“The President assured the Secretary-General and his delegation that the government of the Republic of South Sudan is ready to resume those peace talks, and has already appointed me as the head of that government delegation to go for those talks.”
“So, the Secretary-General was appreciative and praised the President for his great love for peace for this country. The Secretary-General assured the President [that] they would be organizing the days for the meeting between the government and SSOMA. It will be sometime in February here,” he concluded.
This was after a delegation led by the Secretary-General of Sant’Egidio, Dr Paolo Impagliazzo met with the President and lauded him for his efforts to restore peace in Sudan and across South Sudan.
“A delegation from Sant’Egidio, led by its Secretary-General, Dr Paolo and accompanied by Prof Andrea, came from Rome and arrived in Juba, to come and see the President, first of all, to thank him for the decision he took in giving a signal for the resumption of the Rome initiative,” Dr Marial said.
The Minister revealed that the government delegation was comprised of representatives from the signatories to the R-ARCSS. He reiterated that they would hold talks separately with National Salvation Front (NAS) and other SSOMA movements (SSUF/A, and Real SPLM) would have separate talks as well.
