Africa-Press – South-Sudan. Fighting between South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) and local youth in Pochalla County of the Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA) has resumed, residents and government authorities say.
Speaking to Sudans Post on Thursday, GPAA information minister Kelang Jiji said fighting erupted on Wednesday afternoon when an SSPDF chopper delivering food landed at the SSPDF barrack in Pochalla town to deliver food to stranded troops.
“Exactly yesterday at 2:00PM the fighting resumed between armed youth from Anyuak in Pochalla attacking SSPDF barrack that’s what happened yesterday but today (Thursday) no attack again since yesterday’s conflict started,” said Kelang.
Kelang added that he had no full details on the casualties and said that armed youth started the fighting when they attacked the army barrack following the landing of the military chopper dispatched to deliver food from the central government in Juba.
“The conflict was started by these armed youth because SSPDF at the national level sends helicopter to SSPDF in Pochalla so the youth attacked the place and that’s what is surprising us from the youth of Pochalla what they really want is to cause insecurity like that,” he said.
Major-General Joshua Konyi, former Chief Administrator of GPAA and Commander of SSPDF Brigade 23, said three SSPDF soldiers were wounded as result of what he said is an attack launched by the local youth.
“Three of our SSPDF soldiers were wounded in the fighting but l am not sure on the side of the armed you. After the helicopter landed the armed youth opened fire against the helicopter and the soldiers providing security to the helicopter, so the helicopter returned to Juba,” he said.
But speaking to Sudans Post, a community leader who referred not to be named in Pochalla said armed youth who had occupied the SSPDF barrack withdrew on Monday and the SSPDF soldiers returned to their barrack in the afternoon of that day.
The community leader said fighting begun on Tuesday when soldiers went on to beat residents, they suspected of hiding those who participated in the combat with the armed youth.
“What happened is that when the youth withdrew from the barrack on Monday to avoid further conflict, the SSPDF entered their barrack and then they started beating civilians and asking them of whereabouts of the youth who participated in fighting with them,” he said.
“That claim you are saying that fighting begun after a chopper landed is not true. The chopper landed to bring in reinforcement and food after the fighting started two or three days earlier, so it is not true that the youth attacked them,” he added.
Earlier this month, residents of Pibor and Verteth Counties reported mobilization of local armed youth led by General Joshua Konyi. They said the youth were matching to attack Pochalla County to recapture their barrack which was captured by armed youth the previous month.
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