SBS Dinka Radio: Johnson Olony have Taken Control of Malakal town
New details have emerged about the infighting among the Government soldiers in South Sudan town of Malakal.
Updates in Malakal: 4:02pm in Malakal and 11:02pm in Melbourne. Upper Nile State Acting Minister of Information Gatluak Liphoth Diu said, “Fighting is continuing and Olony’s forces are loosing the ground to the SPLA which as we speak belong to South Sudan government. Also we can not comfirm or tell you Olony is still a loyal General to the Government or he has decided to leave. This is something Juba will have to confirm.” Few hours ago according to the report Olony forces were control Malakal and that is seem to be changing according to Gatluak.
April 23, 2015 (SSB) —- According to a source we spoke to an hour ago in Malakal, Johnson Olony forces are in control of Malakal town since last night. The triggers of the conflict are yet to be confirmed but this what the source said. The conflict happened at the absence of Governor Kun Puoch who was in Juba at the time of the conflict and couldn’t travel there after the incident.
We also spoke with the Deputy Governor Guin who confirms to us that ‘he is currently in Melut County’. He will release a statement tomorrow about the incident on SBS Dinka.
In another related talk, the resident of Malakal narrated this story which was confirmed by the SPLA spokesperson as the genesis of the crisis.
“On April 21 two bodyguards and a driver of Governor of Upper Nile State in South Sudan were taking their sick colleague to the hospital. On their way; they were met by the soldiers from Johnson Olony forces and these soldiers were conducting unannounced curfew.They stopped the bodyguards and asked them,”where are you going?” These three officers then responded by saying that. “We are taking this sick colleague to the hospital.” They were then told to go back and soon after that they were shot at by the Olony’s forces. Two people were killed on spot and that created fear in town. When the other group heard what happened they then picked up their guns and rushed to the scene where they fought each other.
On Wednesday 22, 6:04am, fighting resumed between the forces loyal to Olony and that of Governor Kun Puoch and continued until 11 when the Olony’s forces were dislodged. On 22/04/2015 Wednesday at 8:26 pm; Johnson Olony forces regrouped and reinforced their forces with heavy artillery using boat to bomb the Malakal town from river. They entered through the airport which they now control.
Forces loyal to Simon Kun Puoch were told to withdraw in order to avoid escalating the situation. Olony’s forces are now controlling Malakal town. “
We asked Philip Aguer Panyang if he could confirm the incident and he said:
“Until now Olony is still loyal to the Government of South Sudan but his forces are in control of Malakal after the other SPLA forces withdraw to a distance in order to allow Juba to resolve the situation peacefully. Olony is now in contact with the senior SPLA officials in Juba and we will only confirm his intention this evening (23/04/2015). I can confirm that SPLA soldiers fought each other on those two lines but the motive and the intention are yet to be established.”
We also spoke with Mr Gosh who is part of the Upper Nile administration and he confirmed that, “Governor Simon Kun Puoch was not in Malakal when the fighting occurred. Deputy Guin who is now in Melut was the acting Governor when the crisis started.”
Stay tune and we will try to bring you any news from there.
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