By Taban Henry
The peace monitoring body-Ceasefire Transitional Security Arrangement Monitoring and Verification Mechanism (CTSAMVM) has blamed the Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO) for the recent violence in Turu of Upper Nile state.
Clashes between rival factions within the SPLA-IO in Magenis, Upper Nile state resulted in unconfirmed number of casualties in August last year.
The fighting started when elements within the movement declared that the First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar had been ousted as the group leader, Simon Gatwech Dual was subsequently declared the new interim leader.
In a statement made during the board meeting on Wednesday, the new Chairperson for the Ceasefire Transitional Security Arrangement Monitoring and Verification Mechanism Maj. Gen. Asrat Denero Amad said the SPLA-IO were to blame for the recent fighting.
“The SPLA-IO have been perpetuating violence to the youth in Turu area and blaming the SSPDF soldiers who are under Maj. Gen. Ochan to have been involved in the violence,” he said.
Meanwhile the SPLA-IO spokesperson Col. Lam Paul Gabriel confirmed the attack was perpetuated by the SSPDF soldiers citing Turu as the SPLA-IO cantonment site that whatever incident that happened in Turu will be referred to as an incursion from outside not the SPLA-IO that is attacking but they are being attacked because it is our cantonment site.
“In fact, it happened last month in January where our forces were attacked in Turu where we pointed fingers on the SSPDF,” he said.