South Sudan’s Kiir says he talked with Machar to end recent clashes in Yei

September 17, 2018 (JUAB) - President Salva Kiir Monday said he personally spoke with SPLM-IO Riek Machar and asked him to order his troops to stop the fighting in Yei River State and to commit himself to the signed peace agreement.

Hours after signing of the revised peace agreement in Addis Ababa, the SPLM-IO accused the government forces of attacking their position in several areas of the troubled Yei River State not far from the Ugandan border.

In response to the resumption of the fighting, the ceasefire monitoring body CTSAMM launched an investigation to the claim as several international and regional circles had the impression of the déjà-vu situation.

President Salva Kiir who repeatedly voiced his commitment to an agreement he "voluntarily" signed on Monday discoed to cease these clashes immediately, adding that his army had been attacked by the SPLM-IO fighters.

"It was my initiative to call him and ask him why he is still fighting us when we have signed the agreement. So I told him, ’What is this? Is it the acquisition of more territories? We have signed the agreement. I don’t want us to go back to war again," Kiir said.

The president who was speaking at a memorial service in Juba for the victims of a plane crash in Yirol on 9 September added he asked him to order his fighters on Yei to stop attacking the government forces again.

The SPLA Spokesperson Lul Ruai Koang on Sunday issued a statement saying their forces had come under unprovoked attacks on two positions Kupera County and in Sokare, Kajo-Keji County of Yei River State.

Further, he accused the SPLA-IO fighters of attacking their position in Southern Liech State where they captured Mirmir Junction which connects Leer with Bentiu.

Maj. Gen. Lual further said that the SPLM-IO "Wanted to recapture more territories which they would use as assembly areas and cantonment sites" and to draw the attention of the Commander of Africom Force when they learnt he would visit Juba on 17 September, as he said

President Kiir who accompanied by First Vice President Taban Deng Gai reiterated his commitment to the revitalized peace agreement stressing that the suffering of the affected people "provided the primary motivation" for his government to end the five-year war.

"I want to appeal to all of you to accept and embrace this peace and (forgive) your brothers and sisters from the opposition side so that we close the dark chapter on the wall by forgiving each other," he said.

The CTSAMM didn’t yet disclose the outcome of its findings on the ground.

(ST)