Matik kueth
Africa-Press – South-Sudan. The Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO) senior commanders in Unity State have withdrawn their forces from Bentiu town to shun military clashes, the leadership of opposition forces said.
This came after the SSPDF urged SPLA-IO commanders to vacate the area on November 15.
In an exclusive interview with The City Review on Sunday, the Deputy spokesperson of SPLA-IO, Maj. Kerbino Pazale, said they were confronted by the SSPDF in Bentiu town and had to relocate to Tong military base, 10 km away from Bentiu town, to avoid military confrontation.
“I want to inform the people of South Sudan and the entire Unity State community that the SSPDF has planned to fight us secretly and this came from the state authorities,” Maj. Pazale said.
He added, “After they threatened us on Friday, we held a meeting and we decided to leave Bentiu town not because we were afraid of them but because we did not want to fight amid the civilians. It could cause a massive displacement and already the people of Unity State have been affected by flood.”
He said one of the major reasons they refused to fight the SSPDF was respecting the revitalized peace agreement.
“Bentiu is not part of our cantonment area. And we don’t want to violate the peace agreement, that is why we evacuated,” he said.
Pazale alleged that Governor Manytuil tried to entice SPLA-IO Division 4A commander Maj. Gen. Turuk Khor to join the SPLM-IG but was turned down.
“After Governor Manytuil realized that he was unable to convince Gen. Khor, he then secretly told SSPDF Division 4A commander, Maj. Gen. Manyang Mayak to order SPLA-IO senior commanders to vacate Bentiu town after his request was thrashed by Gen. Turuk,” he stated.
The City Review could not independently verify these claims.
However, Maj. Gen. Mayang Mayak, SSPDF Fourth Infantry commander, told The City Review that the allegations are false, adding that the SPLA-IO commanders shifted back to the Tong cantonment site because the flood water level had reduced in the area.
“The SPLA-IO soldiers moved back to the Tong cantonment area because there’s no more flood water there. Bentiu is not a cantonment area. If they decided to move back, it was because the area was now dry. And by the way, you cannot force someone with a gun to move out of a place, that person can fight you,” Gen. Manyang said.
“So, let them not create rumors on social media that I ordered them to evacuate from Bentiu town. Unless they are up to something else,” he stressed.
On November 4, 2023, the Acting Governor of Unity State, William Dak Koch, issued an order asking the SPLA-IO generals to leave Bentiu town to avert military confrontation.
In the statement, Gen. Khor was ordered to relocate to Tong, situated a few kilometers northwest of Bentiu town.
The SPLA-IO forces stationed at Guit County headquarters were also directed to abandon their base and assign the area to the defected SPLA-IO commander, Maj. Gen. Wun.
Meanwhile, on November 28, fierce fighting broke out between SPLA-IO and the SSPDF in Leer County, and the fighting resulted in the death of a senior SSPDF commander.
Source: The City Review South Sudan
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