South Sudan army says “bandits” repulsed from Lol state capital

June 15, 2016 (JUBA) – South Sudan’s national army, the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA), said they have repulsed “bandits” who had earlier on overrun Raja, the administrative capital of the newly-established Lol state in Greater Bahr el Ghazal region.

The SPLA spokesperson, Brig. Lul Ruai Koang, acknowledged that fighting erupted inside Raja town on Wednesday morning when fighters he described as “criminals” and “bandits” overran the town and chased out of the town senior government officials, including the state governor, Rizik Zachariah Hassan who fled in disarray.

“In the early hours of Wednesday, June 15, 2016, armed criminals and bandits attacked SPLA’s defensive position in Raga town. The attackers have been repulsed and mopping operations is going,” Koang said.

“More updates will follow,” he added, in a press statement he issued on Wednesday evening, nearly 12 hours after the state capital was seized by the unknown gunmen.

Koang also assured the citizens of the SPLA’s ability to defend them, despite the fall of the state capital under the control of the gunmen on Wednesday morning.

“SPLA would like to assure the people of South Sudan that it has ability and capability to defeat armed criminals/bandits against the implement of peace agreement and reconciliation,” he said.

It was unclear why it took the whole day delay for the army’s official spokesperson to inform the nation about the incident. He did not also explain how the attackers entered the state capital and what were the casualties involved.

In the attack, which occurred while governor Rizik Zechariah Hassen and his cabinet were in a meeting in Raga, the unknown gunmen stormed the state capital, forcing the cabinet members to flee from the town and run in different directions for their safety.

While governor Hassan was reported to have successfully escaped up to Aweil West county, some of his officials’ whereabouts, including the deputy governor, were not known during the day.

Koang, in his statement, also called on their partner’s co-national army, the Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO), to help the SPLA fight the attackers.

SPLA-IO is under the command of the First Vice President, Riek Machar, while SPLA is under the command of President Salva Kiir. The two are co-national armies per the August 2015 peace agreement until they will be reunified in the years to come.

Although no group has declared responsibility for the assault on Raga, chiefs of the area had earlier voiced their rejection to the creation of the new Lol state which combines Raja county with parts of Northern Bahr el Ghazal state.

The area also witnessed presence of the SPLA-IO forces that have not yet been cantoned or assembled.

Residents of Raja said the gunmen were seen in the town, suggesting they had taken control of the state capital Wednesday morning.

Fighting continued in the afternoon when SPLA sent in reinforcements to recapture Raja.

(ST)