South Sudan ceasefire violations yet to stop

Sudanese People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) soldiers singing pro-war song. AFP PHOTO

For the second day since the beginning of permanent ceasefire, reports about bloody clashes continue to emerge from different areas in South Sudan especially Northern Upper Nile and Yei River states.

The SPLA-IO rebels are accused of carrying out an attack on Bangketa village in Maban County of Northern Upper Nile on Saturday morning. Reports from the area say 25 civilians have been killed and 40 others injured.

South Sudanese army, SPLA, Spokesperson, Lul Koang Ruai said 22 wounded people have been transferred to Malakal and Paloich hospitals.

Other officials said some Ethiopians and two Sudanese traders are among the victims. The area is the home of Burun ethnic group which is present in Sudan and South Sudan.

Also, Maban host a camp for Sudanese refugee who fled the fighting in the Blue Nile state.

For its part, the SPLA-IO Deputy Spokesperson Lam Paul Gabriel said the government forces attacked again their position in Kajo Kaeji County.

"At about 2:25 pm on Sunday afternoon, the regime’s forces left their base of Sokare and attacked the SPLA-IO defensive position in Kendiri".

"The fight is still ongoing as the regime’s force is advancing towards Mangalatore," he further said an pledged to release more details later on.

When the Khartoum Declaration of Agreement was signed on 27 June, the warring parties agreed to implement the permanent ceasefire on the basis of a cessation of hostilities concluded in December 2017.

They further agreed to reach an agreement over the outstanding issues in the security arrangements including determination of demilitarized areas; modalities and exemption from cantonment; timeframe for unification of forces, and the number of parties’ representatives in the Joint Transitional Security Committee.

However, until Sunday no deal was struck on these issues.

The 27 June agreement provides to open humanitarian access to reach civilians in the war affected areas.