SPLM Youth League delinks SSPDF with Unity State clashes
The SPLM Youth League in Unity State has said the conflict reported in Leer, Mayandit, and Koch counties is not between the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO).
In a statement sent to The City Review yesterday, the Interim Chairperson of the SPLM Youth League in Unity State, Deng Moun Laih, claimed the tussle pitting commanders of SPLA-IO in Koch and Panyijiar counties against the Gatkhor Tut Chuol of the SPLA-IO Kit Gwang faction under Simon Gatwech Dual.
Deng further claimed that the continued clashes have been about a dispute over the claim of Mirmir by two factions. Both sides are eyeing Mirmir as the cantonment site, and the Kit Gwang faction were backed up by armed youth in the area.
“SPLM Youth League would like to publicly clarify the genesis of these incidences in the southern part of Unity State, the clashes have been intentionally coordinated by the few disgruntled generals of SPLA-IO Loyal to Riek Machar against other groups loyal to Gen Simon Gatwech,” Deng said in a statement extended to the City Review yesterday.
“They want to return to Mirmir Payam in Koch County, which they believe to be their cantonment site before their subsequent clashes that pushed them out of the area since December 2021, and mid-February 2022, respectively.”
He added that the Governor of Unity State, Dr Joseph Manytuil Wecjang, was working hard to ensure that peace is realised in the state. He urged the youths in Mayandit, Koch and Leer counties to embrace peace and harmony with neighbouring counties.
“We would like to call upon the youth from Koch and Mayandit counties to remain in their permanent respective places and live peacefully and in harmony with their brothers and sisters from neighbouring counties,” he added.
“We would like to assure peace guarantors that SPLM in Unity State is fully committed to the implementation of the Revitalised Peace Agreement in both letter and spirit.”
The conflict
On Monday, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army in Opposition (SPLM/A-IO), revealed that they had lost a senior member of their movement, and the deputy chairperson of SPLM/A-IO in Unity State, James Gatjung Dok, as a result of the clashes in Leer County, Unity State.
“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 (SSPDF) Spokesperson, Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai, could not comment on the matter because his boss, who would have released a statement, was in a meeting.
SPLA-IO had been blaming clashes in Unity State on the commissioner of Koch County for sending SSPDF to attack their positions.
But the spokesperson of the SSPDF, Maj Gen Lul Ruai, dismissed the claim, saying that the SSPDF were not commanded by a commissioner. He stressed that the attacks were by SPLA-IO commanders against the Kit Gwang faction.
He added that the Kit-Gwang faction of SPLA-IO were not yet been integrated into the SSPDF following the signing of the Khartoum Peace Agreement. He reiterated that SPLA-IO had been attacking anyone who defected from them, citing it as a reason for the attack on Kit-Gwang faction, which he said were backed up by the civilian youth in the area who are also armed.
