By Tereza Jeremiah Chuei
The South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) has denied attacking position of South Sudan United Front (SSUF) under Gen. Paul Malong Awan in Tambura citing that Paul has no forces in Tambura County of Western Equatoria State.
This comes as a response to allegations by Malong’s SSUF rebel group that SSPDF had attacked their forces in Tambura County of Western Equatoria State on 10th of December, a claim SSPDF spokesperson dismissed.
Speaking to No.1 Citizen Daily Newspaper, the Spokesperson for SSPDF Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai stated that his reports from the area doesn’t indicate that Malong Awan’s forces’ presence in Tambura.
“My report doesn’t indicate that Tambura has elements of Paul Malong, the situational reports that I have received is that NAS is operating in some parts of Western Equatoria, Central Equatoria and Eastern Equatoria, Paul Malong Awan does not have forces in Tambura,” Ruai rubbished SSUF statement.
However, SSUF military Spokesperson, Col. Philips Deng Kuol Ngot in a statement seen by No.1 Citizen Daily Newspaper accused the SSPDF of attacking their position.
“The SSUF/A has experienced an intended continuous assaults waged by regime’s forces on our bases in Western Equatoria State. The renewed counterattacks flared up on 10th of December at 5pm Juba local time on Dore SSUF/A military forward base under the command of Major General Thon Chiluel Mathou in Tambura County… WES, these unprovoked offensives by SSPDF have all been resisted in a fortified operation by our forces in defense of their positions,” Deng stated in a statement.
But in a rebuttal SSUF/A Military spokesperson Col. Deng said it’s not the first time that SSPDF had attacked their forces and denied.
“There has been a policy by the regime in Juba, like whenever our base comes under attack, then government would immediately deny because they don’t want to let it be known by the public that Gen. Paul Malong has a presence across the Country,” Malong’s mouthpiece interjected.