South Sudan: Rebels Claim Capture Of Strategic Nasir Town As UN Condemns Attack

By Staff Writer

Forces loyal to South Sudanese former vice-president, Riek Machar claimed they were fully in control of Nasir, a strategic Upper Nile state town today, Monday July 21.

Brig. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang, a military spokesperson for the rebels said forces under the command of Maj. Gen. Gathoth Gatkuoth liberated Nasir town from pro-government forces at dawn.

"The liberation of Nasir came about after repeated futile attempts made by Kiir's forces to arrest Gen. Gathoth at his twin bases in Maan-Deng and Jigmir," said Brig. Gen. Koang in statement extended to Sudan Tribune.

He further said their forces have for the last three days been fighting in self-defense in order to "protect and prevent unlawfully arrest of the top military commander".

"Today at dawn, Kiir's forces were finally repulsed, pursued at neck-breaking speed and as result, Nasir was captured at 0700hrs this morning," partly noted the rebels' statement.

The opposition forces also claimed to have captured three government tanks and allegedly destroyed a number of trucks during the assault on Nasir.

South Sudan army (SPLA) spokesperson, Phillip Aguer earlier told Radio Tamajuz that fighting was ongoing between pro-govermment forces and rebels in Nasir.

But Gordon Buay, a member of other armed groups integration committee disputed the rebel claims, saying opposition forces were repulsed out of Nasir town by pro-government forces.

"The group that attacked the airport and commissioner's office resisted for hours. However, the SPLA forces defeated them at 12:30 PM. At the Airport, around 230 rebels were found dead," Buay said in a statement obtained by Sudan Tribune.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has expressed his deep concern over the latest attack by South Sudan opposition forces, which further threatened a shaky peace agreement.

"It undermines ongoing intense regional and international political engagement toward resumption of political negotiations and a peaceful resolution of the South Sudan conflict,"   read the statement issued by Ban's spokesperson as saying. 

It was the first major attack since the South Sudanese government and opposition recommitted to a ceasefire agreement signed in May.

Ban called on Machar to cease all offensive operations on Nassir and other points, and on the government to "desist from launching a counter-offensive", it said, adding that the UN chief urged both parties to stop the violence immediately, reconvene political negotiations.

Last year, political infighting between President Salva Kiir and Machar, who is accused of leading a military rebellion against the government, turned into a full-fledged conflict.

Kiir and Machar signed an agreement in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, May 9, which stipulates comprehensive ceasefire and formation of a transitional government to arrange for general elections within a year from the signing of the deal.

But clashes between the two sides were reported despite the agreement

Talks between the two parties, currently on hold, is seen as the best alternative to the country's seven-month old conflict that has killed thousands and displaced nearly 1.5 million South Sudanese.