SPLM/A-IO reveals senior party official among civilians killed in Leer clashes
Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) has revealed that it lost one of the senior party members in the ongoing violence in southern Unity State.
The office of the First Vice President, Dr Riek Machar said the deputy chairperson of the SPLM/A-IO in Unity State, James Gatjung Jail Dok, was killed last Friday together with an unspecified number of unarmed civilians in Leer County.
“Our heartfelt condolences to the family, relatives, and friends of Hon. James Gatjung Dok, Deputy Chair of SPLM (IO) in Unity State was among the unarmed civilians that were killed in the attacks sponsored and carried out by SSPDF and their armed militias in Leer County,” SPLM/A-IO Spokesperson, Puok Both Baluang, tweeted on Tuesday, accusing their peace partners of violating the peace deal.
The South Sudan People’s Defence Forces declined to comment on the matter, but Gen. Lul Ruai said his boss was in a meeting to come up with a statement that would be issued at a later time.
However, reports have indicated that some parts of the Greater Upper Nile region, including Upper Nile State and Bentiu, have been experiencing attacks over the past two weeks with ladders doing little or nothing to calm the situation.
