HEAVY FIGHTING HAS INTENSIFIED IN KOLA, UPPER NILE
Pagak, 11 June 2017: As the world turns its attention to the resuscitation of the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (ARCISS), the brutal regime is desperately working very hard in undermining these efforts politically and militarily.
Politically, the Jieng Council of Elders (JCE) regime has blocked General Salva Kiir Mayerdit from attending the Extraordinary IGAD Summit and is instead delegating General Taban Deng Gai who can not make any decision on the resuscitation of the Agreement.
Militarily, the ethno-centric regime is continuously attacking SPLA-IO positions and bases throughout South Sudan. Indeed, yesterday Friday June 09, 2017, its forces attacked SPLA-IO positions west of Kola which is in total violation of the very ceasefire it had proclaimed some weeks ago.
In response to this aggression and in an act of self-defense, the gallant SPLA-IO forces, under Cmdr Lt. General Johnson Olony, Sector One Commander, fiercely engaged the aggressors killing more than one hundred and thirty (130) on the spot. The fighting continued into Kola which is now fully under SPLA-IO control. In addition, the SPLA-IO captured three (3) tanks, two (2) land cruisers mounted with 12.7 mm AA machine guns, twenty four (24) Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG-7) launchers, thirty (30) PKM and over three hundred and thirty AK-47 rifles in good condition. Furthermore, a large depot of ammunition and landmines was seized. One (1) Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) – Wolit- was also destroyed.
The rest of the defeated, hungry and demoralized regime’s soldiers fled in disarray towards Weda Kona. Actually fighting has intensified in many parts of eastern and western banks of Upper Nile State (UNS).
The SPLA-IO would like to remind the world that it will continue to act in self-defense if and when aggressors, as we hope to see a positive outcome from the efforts of the region, the African Union (AU), the United Nations (UN) and indeed the international community to resuscitate the ARCISS, and to free our Chairman and Commander-in-Chief (C-in-C), Dr. Riek Machar Teny-Dhurgon from the unnecessary confinement and detention in South Africa.
South Sudan Liberty News is however unable to independently verify this, as the conflict is happening in remote parts where communication of telephone lines are restricted by the regime and Journalists are banned to openly report about the ongoing conflict in the country including our own reporters.
Simon Kur Peter.
SSLN
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