By Deng Ghai Deng & Bosco Bush
At least three officers from South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) have been killed in an ambush by unknown gunmen in Nasir County, Upper Nile State.
Initial reports circulating online suggested that the local armed militia, known as The White Army, had clashed with the national army. However, SSPDF spokesperson Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang refuted these claims in a text message to this publication, Wednesday.
“SSPDF didn’t fight with armed youth, but some officers and their bodyguards, who had visited Nasir town, were waylaid by unidentified gunmen on route to their barracks,” Koang explained.
“The ambush resulted in the death of three officers and left another wounded. The casualties include two majors and a Regimental Sergeant Major (R/SM).”
Meanwhile, a member of parliament representing Nasir County in Upper Nile State raised the issue before the assembly, claiming that the fighting was between civilians and the army.
He added that the people of Nasir have been going through this for almost 2 years while some parts of the country enjoy peace.
“We want a solution that these people who have been in Nasir during the war, they need to be relocated and deployed (unified forces) in Nasir so that our people can enjoy peace in Nasir,” he said.
“Because we are here to work for peace. This is a government of peace. We don’t want our people to continue dying. We want this parliament to pay attention to what is happening today (Wednesday) in Nasir,” Gen. Lul stressed.
The incident underscores the ongoing security challenges in the country and the increasing threats faced by South Sudanese security forces.
The motive behind the attack remains unclear as investigations continue.