By Tereza Jeremiah Chuei
The Spokesperson of South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang yesterday stated the SSPDF have declared war assurance to bring Gen. Buay Bandits to Justice.
In a press statement extended to No.1 Citizen Daily Newspaper, Gen. Lul confirmed previous media report on the attack by alleged armed civilians on the SSPDF convoys while on their way to Mayom County.
The SSSPDF’s spokesperson also affirmed that on July 22nd 2022, bandits loyal to disgraced former army General Stephen Buay Rolnyang infiltrated Mayom town, and succeeded in assassinating the County Commissioner along with 11 others and torched his residence.
“On July 26th 2022, the same bandits ambushed an SSPDF convoy that comprised of three vehicle killing scores of servicemen along with two civilians, wounded two others as well as set ablaze the light trucks,” the statement partly read.
Gen. Lul however assured that the army had launched a nonstop military offensive to fish out the warlords from their hideout.
“On July 27th 2022 and in execution of own mandate of protecting territorial integrity of the Republic, its citizens and properties, the SSPDF Mobile Infantry Unit attacked bandits hideouts at Manyang, Kuerdet, Bonwier. The surprise and simultaneous attack resulted in 65 outlaws getting neutralized in action and recovery of 9 AKM-47 assault rifles” Lul stated in a statement.
He also claimed that the ranks and files of Gen. Buay’s outfit comprised few disgruntled former own servicemen majorly being criminals, mostly murderers, rapists, highway robbers and cattle raiders operating in no-man lands especially in the Swampy areas between Twic an Mayom Counties in Warrap and Unity States respectively.
“That surgical operation should continue to bring to justice bandits’ field commander that include spiritual leader like Gen. Gai Machank, Maj. Gen Gatluak Majok and their subordinates,” the SSPDF spokesperson reiterated.
Earlier, renegade commander Gen. Stephen Buay released a statement warning commercial flight being charted especially by the government and army to stop flying to Unity State or Southern Upper Nile.
However Gen. Lul rubbished Gen. Buay’s statement assuring commercial flights to continue with their normal operation saying rebels operation in and around Mayom do not have capacity to showdown aircraft.
“Allegation that Maj. Keribeno Ruai Tap commander of 4th infantry division, Brig. Gen. Kugar Yar military intelligence chief and Brig Gen Chabak Machiek Gatpan, Commandeer of 11th infantry Brigade were arrested in Mayom and flown to Juba is untrue, to the contrary, they came to Juba to summit situational report and for further consultations with the command,” clarified Gen. Lul in his statement.