What Transpired in July 2016: The Long Marathon from J-1 Dogfighting to the DRC Congo (Part 1)
Riek Machar and his wife, Angelina Teny
SUMMARY OF 2016 THE UGLY INCIDENT WHICH LED TO THE LONG MARATHON OF SPLM/A-IO FROM JUBA UP TO DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO (DRC) TERRITORY.
THE STORY IS WRITTEN BY TUT GR. CHUOL ONE OF THE COMMANDING OFFICEE IN THAT FROM JUBA TO THE THIRD EXTRACTIONS BY MUNUSCO 1ST SEPTEMBER OF 2016 AT GRAMBA NATIONAL FOREST OR PAKR, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO (DRC).
I wouldn’t bore readers with a lot of writing which aren’t connecting to the events and sequents concerning on everything that occurred before the eruption of the fierce/bloodies fighting which plunged back the country to square one, the stories I written below are basing on realities, personal and first hands experience as I was one of the commanding officer who was present and a witness of every scenario led to the deadly clashes in juba to our ugliest marathon and persuasion from juba all the way to DRC territory.
Most of the peoples who were on that deadly marathon or running feets which took some of us more than 51 days in the bushes of Central, Western Equotoria DRC territory can’t recalled every singles events i wrote herebelow because most of the peoples lost their notebooks where they recorded most of the events we faced at our time in the bushes, I had the chance to writes and put every singles events that we faced in the bushes on records when and right up on my arrival at MUNUSCO facility.
This summery captures and binds up every singles events from our unexpected clash in Juba 1 popurly knowns as J1 by majority of S. Sudanese on 8th July to the last days I was airlifted by UN DR. Congo at the Gramba National Park on the 1st of September 2016, I personally spend 51 good days in the bush from the last battle we fought in juba on the 11th of July before the final assaults that flashed us to the bushes of Central, Western Equotoria up to our subsequent crossing to Congolese territory
PART ONE (1) THE FIGHTING WITHIN JUBA.
It was 5pm local time when the entire city surprisingly engulfed by heavy gun fires from the heart of the city, a fighting started at nation’s Presidential’s Palace locally known as J1 (Juba 1).
The occuring of the incident wasn’t a surprise to many of us who knew the heavily military builds up conducted for weeks by the regime then before some direct confrontations which occured twice before the last engagement which claimed more than five lives from the regime forces occured at Lou clinic post Gudele road on the 7th of July, the sign of the befalling J1 clash that was followed by our deadly long marathon and the running foot to Congo.
It was exactly 5pm local time 8th july 2016 when the guards of President Kiir and his notorious deputy Dr. Riek Machar a man who is known for his famous unsuccessful coup against SPLM/A historical leadership from 1991 when he attempted to sieged power from its late leader and Dr. Garang the founder of the organization and then 2013 December coup that resulted into the unimaginable bloodshed which engulfed the country into unimaginable turmoils and deadly chaos.
To get back straight to the story, the J1 clash occured when I was personally taking tea from a small market outskirt of SPLM/A-IO Site1 barrack, the little market known as Suk Mudari, I just left from resident of my commander to that market, we were interacting, in short time while interacting we just heard heavily explosion at the side of New site, I personally guessed the kind of explosion sound, I told the guys who were with me that the sound must be tanks explosive propels rockets sounds, in few minutes we confirmed that the guards of big men’s clashed at J1 from that junction after we fully confirmee the news of the big men’s clashed, each of us left for his gun/rifles, we rushed back to site and each of us went and take positions which was to direct combat, I was personally sent to front of Ministry of Animal Resource road combat zone and the rest was direct combat (exchange of guns fire) we managed our ground so good on that evening as we started direct combat from late hours, we didn’t face the maximum firepower and manpower of the government’s forces which was ueashed on us in the following days, on the 10th a maximum firepower and manpower included attacks Helicopters and all sorts of tanks with endless artilleries shelling and accompany by a gounds attacks who have enough reinforcement was unleashed at us from sun set till dawn.
The fighting ceased at 12-1pm 8th July after the presidency’s finally coiled the intense fighting from J1 vicinity then they set Dr. Riek to be escorted to us by Gen. Marial Chanuong Yol then Tiger or Presidential’s guards commander, he accompanied Dr. Riek from J1 to Lou clinic post in Gudele than he returned back to their command center since IO forces at Gudele road were at Doah Petroleum post a distant of few miles from Lou clinic post.
The Dr. Riek arrived from site one nobody could be told the circumstances that fallen on his close protection guards at J1 battle, the numbers of those who fallen at the battle were more than those who returned with him, by the mornings 9th of July which is 1am the fighting was completely ceased as the government was observing the independent day, our then senior leadership including Riek himself were believing in UNMISS thus the UNMISS would stop the war a illusions that letter led us to be squeezed to limited options from the fighting scene and later dates, the leadership negligent to put their faith and believe on UNMISS particularly Dr. Riek was a guarantee of disaster such dashed hope get us flashed out from juba sleepily and later caused us dearly in term of lives and a tough running, the SPLM/A-IO weak decision to put their hope on UNMISS was a deadly equations because it was self placing on the mercy of the enemy.
The late night of 8th July was pleasant as we completely ceased the fighting, it wasn’t a long honeymoon break as 10th of July approached suddenly, everything got from bad to worth, by early morning on the 10th of July we resumed the direct combat and the little truce ceasefire was overwhelmed with a full hostilities where we were attacked from ground and from air with ceaseless air-rial bombardments, artilleries shelling particularly our front at veterinary’s (Chara) road was the picks of the gunships attacks and ceaseless shelling from Jebel Kujurs government air defense firepower, it was a battle to death as we had no reinforcement, each man’s reinforcements was own same rifle, by mid day a little reinforcement came to us, they came from Jebel Lado a forces comprised mostly of Mundari fighters, it was headed by Maj. Gen. Benjamin Gore, a reinforcement of 115 men with only 85 weapons, they reached us at Lemun Gaba checkpoint post at around 12pm local time, a forces with limited ammunition’s while our front post was the one facing and been trying to stop the government reinforcement forces coming from Luri which is a known base or main guard’s new HQ of president, we managed to hold our ground but much thanks to the juba terrains which has a lot of hills, banks and rocks for concealments, at 5pm we were fully overwhelmed by the government ceaseless bombardments and ground fighting, we were pushed to retreat from Lemun Gaba as individuals barely had munitions to fired, although we tried to uphold our ground but lease munitions was absolutely our main challenge although we were exhausted because of fighting from sun set till dawn, finally we retreated to site two and crossed Juba-Yei road at Jebel checkpoint and run to the nearby bush between UNMISS compound and the checkpoint road, armour vehicles were firing at us ceaselessly, they really gave us good company while crossing the Juba-Yei road, we spent like two hours in the bush near to UNMISS compound before we retreated and get back to site two then proceeded to site one, at that period, the SPLM/A-IO senior commands, political and military leadership was nowhere to be seen nor near to the fighting scene regarding to the promise they preached from Pagak before going to Juba where they told us from Pagak thus they would never withdrew from Juba if any event like returning to war would occured, on my surprise and those who heard those promises remarks of IO military and political leadership in Pagak, the Pagak promise was no where to be kept by the leadership, we only left with two Brigadier Generals and few colonels like then Col. Wal Chuol Lual now Brigadier General, then Col. now Brig. Gen. Mathok Hoth of MP and then Brigadier General now Maj. Gen. Wang Chany all the senior commands were at Khoor Remlah which we found on laters date of 11th July at 12pm, late Gen. Chayot Manyang then governor of defunct Adar state and Gen. Cdr Koang C. Ranley were the only senior commanders who were present from site 1&2 at the morning hours of 10th July when the fighting was resumed, the two Generals were on SPLM/A-IO leaderships Pagak’s promises that IO would fight to the last man if war broke out in Juba, they couldn’t believe that the IO leader Dr. Riek Machar and CoGS who made such remarks from Pagak could run to the bush at midnight without even informing some of them particularly the two Generals, Gen. Wang Chany was the one who persuaded late Gen. Chayuot to be escorted to UNMISS because his diabetes was got so high and as such he was unfavorable to be at fighting scene although his mind was to be at the battles ground with juniors commands and the soldiers, in the other hands CDR koang Chuol refused to withdrew from site2 barrack at midnight, he only left after armour vehicles overrun their barrack and he was almost hits by a bullets fired from the armour vehicles, the fighting was very tense and intensified to the maximum level at the two sites, the maximum firepower and manpower of government forces failed to achieve the final target objective of their assaults on the 10th of July as we hold and prevent them to overrun the two sites.
By 11th of July we were flashed out from both baracks site one and two after we ran out of munitions, we withdrew to the bush where we found the entire SPLM/A-IO military and political leadership at Khoor Remlah hiding from small tributaries steams trenches.
PART TTWO (2) OUR WITHDRAWAL FROM JUBA AND MOVEMENT WITHIN JUBA COUNTY AND CENTRAL EQUOTORIA WITH THE HELP OF LOCAL COMMANDERS UNDER THEN MAJ. GEN. JOHN KENYI LOSOBO AND MAJ.GEN. BENJAMIN GORE.
From Khoor Remlah, the senior commands and leadership met and their resolution was that we should moved deeper to central Equotoria or juba county Payam then Jubek state under the 28 states, Dr. Riek the SPLM/A-IO c-in-c was negotiating with regional leaders, UN and other concerns bodies thus he would be retuned back to his seat and all would be retuned to controlled and normalcy a dashed hope, we spent good two days at Khoor Remlah, thank to American airforces that controlled S. Sudan’s airspace on temporary bases as they were evacuating their citizens who were in the country and stucked at the middle of the war, Their operation save us from air-rial bombardments as air-rial bombardments would have destroyed us at Khoor Remlah terrain considering the distant from Khoor Remlah and Luri which is the airstrip of the attack Helicopters that used to attacked us.
We spent four days around Khoor Remlah surrounding areas before we leave and moved to Gen. John Kenyi’s first barrack situated in Pajulu land Mangateen, Wuduruba Payam.
We left Khoor Remlah for Wuduruba Payam one of Gen. John Kenyi’s barrack or Brigade HQ, it was on Friday 15th of July 2016 when we moved off, walked and crossed Juba-Yei road between Jebel Bhongo military post and 55miles area, we crossed the Juba-Yei road at 7pm local time, we just walked for 2hrs before we stopped as Dr. Riek Machar was called by President Museveni, the two interacted for an hour and then we set off again and continue our restless journey, we spent good four (4) days just walking in a rocky hills before we reached to Gen. John Kenyi’s first brigade HQ, we treached Wuduruba Payam’s HQ on Tuesday 19th July at 6pm but we have to bypass the Payam’s HQ and took some 3hrs walks before we stopped and spent our night in an area between Wuduruba Payam’s HQ and Kenyi’s first brigade at Wuduruba area called Mangateen, by early morning we set off and walked to Mangateen barrack.
The next morning of Wednesday 20th of July we just foots for like five hours than we arrived at first Gen. Kenyi’s brigade HQ Mangateen, we had a tremendous and short heroic reception before things fall apart as our darkest days were laying ahead of us, hunger was still a challenge although we arrived at one of Gen. Kenyi brigade’s HQ as our numbers overwhelmed the capacity of the arrangements of the brigade leadership, we spent the night by morning the c-in-c conducted first military parade since our unplanned withdrawal from juba, the parade lasted for two hours while it was raining, on the parade, many peoples who had no clue about Dr. Riek Machar’s capacity and the way he does things childishly couldn’t believe that the man who was c-in-c could just talk childishly at his first ever military parade after our unfortunate defeat from Juba, the man never stated any points which should be a way forward, courage or to give hope of winning the war even if he wouldn’t be meaning to translates his words to real senses he should had at lease tried to said some words that makes sense in a war situation or to fighting forces since he was the leader he should had talks of victory’s instead of pouring some colds words where he just put his faith and hope on regional troops whom he was told by regional leaders that they would come to safe guards the agreement, the old man was just contradicting himself as usual to a points where he was talking in parade as seem the war was that of Hollywood movie.
He concluded the parade without any tangible words of progress or a hope nor any kinds of self relying words which should define him to be a man who have been fighting for a genuine cause, his cold speech just barred the morals of the forces, he was contradictory repeatedly as all his faith and hope was on the regional troops and UNMISS, he was assuming that the UNMISS and the IGAD would take us back to juba and thus they would.create a buffer zone to safe guard the agreement, a deadly illusions which lead us to Congo at the end.
From that parade our total number from various units was around 4,800, c-in-c guards and MP were around 1,200, Jamus 1,000, Unified police 800, Various Governor’s guards around 200, special units (NSS) around 300 than plus forces of the Gen. Welebe and the areas forces, we had good numbers, from the same Mangateen we start to face air-rial bombardments with air surveillance which was assumed as a drown by those who had no clue about how a drown look alike, our movements was merely squeezed very slim where we later changed plans of our movement whereby we had to be moving from earlier morning hours like 3/4am has a way to avoid air surveillance detection as the air surveillance used take our movement’s locations images than forward them to their HQs where those footages images are given to attack Helicopters which used to bombs us, some of our lowly informed dudes also assume attack Helicopters as gunships which have no clue about how gunships look alike.
On the evening of the 20th of July our leadership met and abruptly decided that we leave for Gen. Kenyi’s GHQ situated at Dolla Payam a distant of two days by foot from the Mangateen Brigade HQ at Wuduruba, we spent the whole day on reconnaissance and retuned to barrack at 6pm, up on our returned, we just find new directives from the above that we would be moving by early morning, it was also decided that those of Eastern Equotoria fronts would leave for their areas, at that junction there were group meeting as our missions have became two, I used to moved frequently with Maj. Eng. Tor Lul, Tor came to me for individuals discussion on the fade of proceeding or not to proceed on such unknown missions which was heading to a endless location, we discussed what should be our fade, finally we decided that he go to EEF while I proceed toward the unknown and unidentified location mission, the leadership started to divide the forces from the Mangateen meeting, the unified police was set to remain at Mangateen, Wuduruba post to boost up the brigade manpower and stand there as strong shields to sealed our backs so that the entire leadership could carry on with the endless missions safely.
On Thursday 4am morning 22nd of July we started our journey to Dolla Payam, we put down and spent our night in an abandoned village after we walked for a whole day, the next morning we continue our journey to Dolla, we walked for like 11hrs than we stopped at tall mountains near to the GHQ of Gen. Kenyi’s division situated around Dolla, we spent good two days on those mountains sites, the leadership bought us some cattles as our foods, on Sunday 25th July we set up for the GHQ of the division we just walked for 5hrs and we arrived at Gen. Kenyi’s division GHQ, the leadership particularly Dr. Riek and his wife who was IO head of Defense and Security were in contact with then IO DCoGS for Logistic Gen. Michael Chiejiek who was in Kitale, Kenya by then, they were coordinating with Gen. Chiejiek that he would dispatch a plane fully loaded with all sorts of weapons and ammunition’s, a dashed hope and plan, we sat up at lower site of Gen. Kenyi’s division GHQ with a hope that Gen. Chiejiek’s would load a plane full of weapons and ammunition’s as he was in regular contact with Dr. Riek Machar unfortunately that hope was no near to reality, while in Dolla there was a serious competition of interest between Gen. John Kenyi’s and Gen. Wesley Welebe where each man wanted to host the IO leadership at his land, with a good distant between theirs GHQs with Kenyi’s GHQ situated in Dolla Payam, Juba, County CE while Welebe’s GHQ at Mediu Payam, Western Mudri, WE in Moro land, the two competing interest for each to host the leadership at his land was seriously a big issue, for me I could had given the task to Kenyi’s because of his military fighting skills and determination to win battles rather than the Welebe who never involved in any fierce battles, the air-rial bombardments at the Kenyi’s GHQs airstrip made it easy for the leadership to reach to the conclusions for us to leave Kenyi’s areas as the air-rial bombardments completely destroyed the airstrip whereby the dashed hope Chiejiek’s planes were believe couldn’t landed and the fear that any planes that might tried to come might be bombed considering Dolla Payam short distant from Luri the airstrip where the attack Helicopters used to took off from.
Lastly the leadership abruptly decided that we leave for Gen. Welebe’s GHQ called Mediu, Western Mudri, WE state a distant of two to three days by foot.
PART THREE AND FOUR (3&4) THE FINAL ASSAULT AND THE LAST DECISION FROM THE LEADERSHIP WHICH LED US TO BE FLASHED UP TO DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO’S (DRC) TERRITORY “THE GRAMBA NATIONAL PARK DARKEST DAYS”.
After the airstrip of Kenyi’s GHQs was completely destroyed the leadership declared that we go to Welebe’s GHQ Mediu, West Mudri, WE Moro land, Welebe told the leadership that their was a big airstrip at his Mediu GHQ and enough food which could feed the forces of about 3000 for two to three months, by Wednesday 27th of July at evening exactly 7pm i was also coming from reconnaissance where our positions at reconnaissance was badly bombed by attack Helicopters planes, the bombardments was heavy but we were lucky and no one was hurts by the ceaseless air-rial bombardments, up on our return from reconnaissance we found peoples at barrack packing their handly things and we were told that we would be moving to another place which is in WE areas, it wasn’t a surprise to me since I knows that the leadership was sinking and its decision were basing on illusions of divine intervention since they weren’t taking decision on military analysis nor on security perspectives, Riek just surrounded himself with his home relatives security Generals who had lease clue about how a serious of war should be handled, the command and the decision makers for the entire leadership were Zeling Keah Dr. Riek’s MI chief, his wife Angelina who was the IO chief of Security and Defense, his relative Yiey Dak who was acting on absent of Gen. Thoi Chany, Gen. Gatwech Dual and CDR views weren’t accepted by Angelina who was only accepting Zeling views, Riek and his three family members were the alphas and omegas making the ultimates decisions for the entire movement, while they were doing their things on pure assumptions and on civilians perspectives with Dr. Riek on the illusions of coming of then agreed regional forces which he was fooled by the IGAD regional leaders that they would sent in a regional protection forces which should come and take controlled of juba or set up a buffer zone between the fighting forces.
The leadership divided us again Jamus forces were set to remain at Dolla than Riek’s guards, MP, all governors who were present with their Guards, CoGS and his deputies with their guards and special units were the one decided to proceed with the missions to Mediu, Mudri, WE area, we left Gen. Kenyi’s GHQ and the Jamus forces, we walked for 4hrs before we stopped and spent the night at 8miles area, by early morning of Thursday 28th July at 4am the operation unit started to moved only those of us who were back shield remain wait and move from the place after an hour when the entire leaderships convoy set off from the area, we started to moved at 6am after sun set, we walked for few hours than approached one of old bridge builds with irons, a bridge believe to builds by then former Sudanese leader late Jafer Nimeri after Addis Ababa agreement of 1972, we successfully crossed the bridge and proceed to area 17miles where we took some rest, miles 17 area was one of Moro’s villages of Eastern Mudri or Eastern Moro land, it was decided that we spent the whole day at that village with a mean to avoid air surveillance and a possible helicopter’s attack as the helicopters were bombing on our foot step at 8miles where we spend our night at.
At area mile 17, It was my first time to eat what I could remember as food since our subsequent withdrawal from juba on 11th July, a Moro woman whom we took rest at her resident made for us a free lunch, a lunch we always recalled in our memories those of us whom she served, it was a tremendous hospitality from the lady and we really thank her for her unwavering hospitality, we spent the rest of our resting hours in a good mood before we set off at 5pm, finally we set off from 17 miles area at 5pm, we walked for one hour than a rain started to rain as usual as it rains frequently, suddenly two attack helicopters appeared from our back few miles from a mountain we just passed on couple of minutes, luckily enough or by God grace the helicopters couldn’t see us clearly, we never recalled the nature and the way the helicopters missed to see us if it is as due to the rains, vibration at the ground or a small dews which coveredon ground, I personally believe that it was God’e works that confused and prevented the pilots and their gunners not to see as clearly on time before we run and hide at a nearby farms since we were at roadside, we all run and hide at (Babras) Cassavas farms, the helicopters moved around in circles figuring out our hiding as we believe the air surveillance gave them our exact location, luckily the helicopters didn’t carryout suspicious random fires at the bushes on the road side, we just thanks God at the end when the helicopters turned away from the vicinity of our hide out.
The next day 28th July afternoon, we put up to rest at a nearby tributary stream which was two miles away from a certain villages, after few minutes the air surveillance identified our location and quickly gave our location to the attacks Helicopters and the attack Helicopters apparently appeared and immediately started random bombing on our hiding positions, we were all hiding under trees while the helicopters were randomly bombing our hiding positions, they were bombing in circle luckily all the rocket fall away from our hiding circle, only few guys from our convoy faced the wrath of the bombardments, the guys were at nearby villages were almost hit by some of rockets from the bombardments, some rockets hits some house in the village and killed an old woman at that nearby village, one guy was hit on his head by explosive rush from those rockets which hits an house, the 28th July bombardments was one of the most dangerous bombardments carry on us since we left juba, most of the bombardments rockets never fall closer to us like the way the rockets from 28th bombardments just fall for an inch away from where we sat up, we always regard that days as a luckily day base on how the attack Helicopters missed our hiding positions for inches.
We spent good two days footing before we finally reached to one of Welebe’s Brigade HQ situated in Lasu village of Yei River county then Yei River State, it was 31st July Sunday morning at 4am when we arrived at Lasu Brigade HQ, most of us were completely tired as we didn’t sleep for two good days because we have been moving at night hours has we were avoiding attack Helicopters and air surveillance, arriving at Lasu Brigade HQ was a big chance for us to take some nap from our remaining hours at local huts as we found plenty of huts rather than the other days we used to sleep on open rains.
Most of us took good nap for few hours from those huts particularly myself with my crew, we spent our remaining hours in one of a tukul, we also scattered in Lasu as peoples were moving by groups because the villages was enough to accommodate all, I was just with two other comrades SG. Chuol Lual and Chuol Tuong, after while the three of us met with 1st Lt Gatwech Chol and PVT Changkuoth nick named (Small), peoples scattered around the village, we got to a very kind woman’s house, the lady and his family accorded us warm reception, the lady also instructed her son to come and interacts with us, her son indeed came to us and started to interacts with us although we didn’t had much energy to interact with him as we were very tiresome, we just took some rest from 9am until 2pm noon, the guy came and woke me up as I was the senior officer among the crew, the guy boils for us some Cassavas roots and greens cons we ate our Cassavas and the cons, after few hours we informed them that we shall leave as we separated with our commands hence we separated with our command we urgently need to find their whereabout as they would be worry about our whereabout, the woman who was the head of the household informed us that she already make for us a meal and thus we must ate it before we leave, we agreed and the woman brought us the meal, we ate the meal, thank the woman and her entire family for the warm hospitality they accorded to us, we really appreciated her hospitality from the bottom of our heart, the woman also promise us that we were kinds men base how we approached them as we just approached with an intention of just wanted to sell us any kind of foods stuffs from her house than she served us on her will, the woman performes some kinds of traditional blessing to and tell us that non of us wouldn’t be harmed in while the bush, she concluded that we would be free in the bushes, for my surprise the five of us who were at her house came out alive from the deadly marathon.
We didn’t link up with our command center as peoples had completely scattered around Lasu village hence the village has overwhelmed huge grass with a forest too, from that scattering we left that house and crossed a small tributary stream, we were surprised by one of Lasu brigade’s soldier that the enemy forces are around the area and thus we must limited our movement and we must be very caution while moving, we thanks the soldiers as we were moving on high alert, we proceed ahead and moved closer to Yei River bank hence we were planning to go and crossed the river from Lasu to Mediu side where Gen. Welebe’s GHQ was situated at, we couldn’t crossed the river at night since Dr. Riek’s relatives forces drowned the only 🛶 canoe that was supposedly could been used for sailing and crossimg the river with, the drowning of the canoe was a big blow and issue it caused us dearly in the next morning, we spent the night at some huts near to Yei River bank, in early morning on Monday 1st of August we walked to the river bank, on the river bank we met those who spent the night on the river bank then defuncts governors of Bei, phow, Yei River, Kapoeta with their guards at the river banks, most of them doesn’t knows how to swim, we sat up our polytheistic sheet since the only canoe was drowned by Dr. Riek’s close protection, we prepared our small polytheistic sheet, we park it and put in our rifles and other stuffs than we push it to the water, it was me, Chuol Tuong, Lt. Gatwech Chuol, Chuol Lual, (Small) Changkuoth, we sailed and successfully crossed the river unfortunately some guards of governor’s and Riek’s tiger family soldier who couldn’t swim almost drowned, thanks to Chuol Tuong and Chuol Lual who were super and brilliants swimmers, they rushed back to the river and safe three of the guys, myself couldn’t get back to the river I was extremely powerless when I managed to reached to the other side of the river but the two guys are great swimmers.
After successfully crossing the Yei river, we moved away from Yei river bank and take some walk to Gen. Welebe’s second second larger HQ which was at the side of Mediu, West Mudri, after two hours we arrived that brigade HQ which was five hours by foot from Mediu Welebe’s GHQ, at 12noon we just received some terrible news that our forces at the other side of the river or side of Lasu were in fierce and heavy fighting in few hours their wounded just arrived at the brigade HQ with attack Helicopters bombing our positions randomly and mercilessly, some guys from our unit such as then Lt. Chuol Gony now Major was seriously wounded but a very strong veteran he was determine to carry on with the mission although seriously wounded, the same evening of Monday 1st August Welebe’s Mediu GHQ was overrun by juba forces, the only airstrip was already captured and our rout to Yambio or Miridi which was also the only link to international borders was blocked by the juba forces, the leadership abruptly sat and decided to add the numbers of our operation coy which was headed by then Ll. Col. now Col. Mark DD and deputize by then Maj. now Col. Chot Mathew plus other officer such as then Maj. now Col. Latjor William, the coy was dispatched for a plan to go and lay an ambush on the road connecting Mediu to Tore and Mediu to Jambo, the coy left on Tuesday 2nd August at 5am morning with an intention to stop a possible reinforcement to the forces that already captured and entered Mediu, our guys didn’t and were unable to lay out an ambush to the reinforcement which came from Jambo as they didn’t took an ambush positions up on their arrival at the main road coming from Jambo to Mediu and than to Tore, the forces that came from jambo was the one which surprised our guys instead of our guys to ambushed them it was the opposites, our guys were found unprepared for an ambush roles and they didn’t took an ambush positions on at the road side, it was 7am when we heard heavily gun fired, our guys came under heavily and ceaseless fire as they were found unprepared and on main road.
Few minutes after we heard gun fires, myself was just coming from behind as i used to be one of the forces who are deployed at the back, I was surprisingly picked by Zeling’s MI deputy of operation, I was picked to lead some men on possible reinforcement to our operation coy that was under heavy attack, the senior commands selected the forces from various units, after completion of the selection, the forces was handed over to me than I took my comand and lead my men, the forces were 78 fighters selected from various units, I took one of Chinese anti aircraft missile one from three anti aircraft missile which were given to us by the UNMISS forces from juba near to PoC3, late Changkuoth Bol Loth was my gunner who was with the Chinese anti aircraft missile, we moved and rushed to rescued our heavily attacked coy, finally we were able to coil the enemy forces and push them to Mediu center, we clear a little rout, I was extremely busy that day as I move multi times between the leadership and my command post, before 6pm I give my final operation reports to the commands as I was directly reporting to he senior commands, I finally reported to CDR and explained to him that we had cleared a temporary rout at the time, the time I was reporting to him he was with then Maj. Mangok Wur now Colonel, then Capt. now Lt. Col. Yein Tang and then Ll. Col. now Col. Lam Koang, I proceeded and pass the same information to sleepy Riek’s MI chief Zeling, by 6pm the leadership set up and moved away from river bank to my command post than to the main road, we walked for like an hour on the main road before we leave the main road and crossed to bush hence we could had been ambushed at the main road by the forces of government, we had to avoid the Mediu and Tore road and walked through the bushes.
We crossed the Mediu Tore road on Wednesday 3rd of August evening than we moved for like 8hrs and spent our night at one of Welebe’s last brigades where the rest was a deep wild wilds of mids WE and CE land, by Thursday morning of the 4th of August we lost the rout twice with bees bitting us badly, unimaginable obstacles were the picks of our days, we continue with walking although we facing unimaginable difficulties, we carry on and continue moving for the whole day than we set up and rested around 7pm evening of Thursday 4th August from a nearby tributary stream, in that evening our darkest day was laying ahead of us in few hours, by early morning of Friday 5th of August, our first group left as usual they use to than the entire convoy started to moved and followed their footsteps, the few of us who used to moved at the last were still sitting on their same places, after we were about to moved from our positions, we just came under heavy gun fires, I personally rushed to a certain tree, sat to possibly straight up my rifle Folding Mental Stocks than straight down its Selector Lower before I could pull down its Bolding Carrier, I was unable to pull it down its Bolding Carrier with by hands, I quickly grabbed my wood stick and beat the Bolding Carrier down than flashed in round of munition after those processes while on concealments under tree,.the time I straight my head up and respond fire, I only found myself with one of Gen. Wang Chany’e guard call Kaleny Nyok Phon as the only personnel at my side, the rest of the forces left, we responded fire a little bit than we got up and start to run, in few minutes while still running we met with then Ll. Col. now Col. Peter Gatkuoth Jal, young guy call Gile Wal Dor and another guy whom I forgotten his name, we were five but only three of us have guns with two with no guns, we attempted to ran while the grass was too thick and high, i ordered Kilany that we should only walk, the rest got my message and we just speed up walking, few mitres moving away from fighting scene we approached a small tributary stream where some of units and including our unit commander were on its bank, a tributary which should be one and half mitre, most of our forces particularly Tiger guards of Dr. Riek threw a lot of their weapons on that tributary stream, Tiger guards alone lost more than 90 different types of weapons on that small tributary stream, we crossed the tributary while on its bank we only find Gen. Wang Chany with less than nine personnel and 16 men from CDR’s guards, Wang persuaded and pushed CDR to moved away from the tributary bank, after we crossed the tributary I personally approached Gen. Wang and persuaded him to moved away from tributary and leave the command to us the juniors officers on the bank of that tributary so that he could go and catch up with the running wilds marathoners who were supposed to reinforce us, we convince him that if he go he would be able to engage the top leaders to organise some fighters from their units who could come for our reinforcement at the tributary banks as we were expecting the enemy forces to cross the tributary and persuaded us, while on that tributary bank then Maj. Chot Mathew, then Maj. Latjor William, then Capt. Ruot Thuoc and then Lt. Dobuol Changach were the only comrades who came back from the operation coys as a reinforcement, in our surprise the officers didn’t came with any forces from their operation forces as their forces were afraid and refused to come with them, in awhile we all left the tributary bank and followed the marathoners crowd.
We didn’t knows that Dr. Riek Machar’s entire stuffs and belonging such as money an amount estimated to be around $1millions USD plus chunks of pounds were threw away by his guards, all his computers, video cameras, phones including all his satellites phones, tents and cloths were throw away by his close Protections guards, most of our senior leadership’s phone’s were lost in that small tributary and those whose phones were serve were full of water where most of the phones can’t functions, CDR Koang Chuol satellite phone was the only satellite phone that was on good condition later that evening, other satellite phones worked after three to fives days, that CDR satellite phone was given to Dr. Riek at evening and it was the phone that gave Dr. Riek access to the outside world because it was the the only mean he got touch with entire region and world leaders who contacted him at that period some of the leaders who contacted him such as former Sudanese president Bashir, former Ethiopian PM Desalegn and then UN chief Ban Ki Moon were the one who facilitated his extractions from forest in laters dates, to make the matter worth all our food stuffs were threw away by the forces, we began and enter to era of starvation as there was no food from date 5th until individuals extractions by the MUNUSCO, we lost more than 35 soldiers and officers from that surprise attack of 5th August and lost more than 120 different types of weapons combines from our various units but Dr. Riek guards were the leading from other units as they lost more than 90 different types of weapons and countless ammunition’s.
From that Friday 5th August deadly surprised attack we entered to a mountainous areas where we walked on those mountainous site for good three days, on the evening of Monday 8th of August we met with our guys who came from Yambio with an intention to reinforce us, those forces who came from Yambio thinks that Dr. Riek must have a mean to bring us some weapons and ammunition’s by airdrops once we reached to DRC S. Sudan’s border, their hope was unattainable one as Dr. Riek had no arms networks connection apart from the networks he was begging from Michael Chiengjiek who was an ally of VP Taban Deng, after meeting our guys from Yambio front, we breathed like they would lead us in a safe routs, unfortunately the following morning Wednesday 9th August while we were rushing get to Yei-Miridi road so that we crossed it sooner, we were surprisingly attacked three hours away from Yei-Miridi road the last hope was dashed after that surprise attack, we fought the attackers and we finally push them away and than we proceed and finall crossed Yei-Miridi road, we continue walking and stopped at around 8pm evening, we spent our night at Barnam river bank, by early morning of Thursday 10th August we crossed Barnam river with the enemy forces just on our neck, by 9am we started direct confrontation with the enemy forces, for those of us who used to be at the back each of man was just waiting for is finally minutes as those who were wounded were absolutely left to enemy hence hunger strike us even an individual was hardly carrying his gun and carrying another person was definitely out of equations, we kept fighting and holding our ground, Gen. Wang Chany was handed the back operation after the bloody surprise attack on 5th of August absolutely demonstrated tireless efforts at the back operation with us, the 10th days of August was really one of toughest days for us since we moved away from Juba, the same Thursday 10th of August at around 7om at the S. Sudan last road to Congolese territory a road which was called as pipe line road by the local which is situated between Raswulu and Barnam we left Lt. Gen. Martin Kenyi (popular known as MK by his Eastern Equotoria native) who was then IO DCoGS for Moral Orientation, by the next morning which was Friday 11th of August we woke up and the long marathon was at its picks, we continue the marathon as usual but the enemy forces which was brought from Barnam and Raswulu was just on our foot step where they was motivated because they have been slaughtering our exhausted comrades whom we left behind as carrying a person wasn’t just unthinkable step, bees bitting was also another disaster, at 11am morning when we checked one of brigadier general’s satellite phone the phone was changed to Thuruya Congo, we marked that we had entered (DR) Congo’s Territory, we breath and thinking that the S. Sudan’s forces wouldn’t crossed into international border base on supremacy of another country, we were wrong, the attack Helicopters couldn’t avoid to crossed and bombed as at Congolese territory nor the foot soldiers stopped crossing in our pursue within Congolese territory, everything was just getting bad to worth hence we were still being persuaded even after we crossed into international territory, we thought that Congolese territory would be respected by the S. Sudan’s authority, the situation just got to worth with hunger got out of controlled, many were starving to death in hourly basis and some were unable to walk due to he severity of starvation, those who were unable to walk were left behind to enemy and the time the enemy found their starving body and slaughter them they increased their speed on us as they assumed that we were all starved like our left over soldiers, they wanted to catch up with us where they were assuming that they would just come and slaughter us like our starved comrades whom they slaughter from our foot step.
By Thursday 11th to 13th August the enemy slaughter good numbers from.our starving soldiers and some senior officer who were unable to walk, some senior Generals whom they slaughter included Riek’s brother in law who was his chief of protocol, Maj. Gen. Joseph Awan may his soul rest in peace and other seniors officers, on Saturday the 13th of August we engaged the enemy forces that have been persuading us, we sat up a good ambush were we indeed succeeded and defeated them so good, that battle was our last battle we fought with the foot soldiers who have been on our neck for good five days, after defeating the enemy forces foot soldiers we left with the attack Helicopters bombardments and the air surveillance on our neck.
Far from battle that we fought on the 13th which was later became our last battle we fought with the persuading foot soldiers, one of Riek’s guards fallen on him from behind than Riek fall to the ground and suddenly dislocated his right knee where he was unable to walk another tough scenario, aftee end of the battle we just find such disaster and because the leader was to be carry as he was unable to walk, good enough the tasked was left to ranks of majors and above as the senior commanders understood that most of our ranks category captain and below were the mostly engaged in many battles along with NCOs as such it was decided that captain and below wouldn’t be part of those who would carry the then chairman, such decision spared our category.
Our remaining days from Saturday 13th of August to the rest of the day of our extractions by UN Congo on humanitarian ground were full of deaths especially on Wednesday the 17th and Thursday 18th August day after Dr. Riek Machar was airlifted we lost 49 peoples the following morning of Thursday 18th August, the 49 peoples all died because of starvation.
The scenario from Helicopter scene that airlifted Dr. Riek a self imposed deputy chief of protocol to Dr. Riek guy by name of Simon Bangoang Tuong almost caused us another deadly incident as he beats some generals from the helicopter climbing lander, he beaten then former defunct Bei Governor who was an old man by ages, a lieutenant General in the system of movement and a governor the same time he mercilessly beatens Gen. Koang Gatkuoth, he beats Brig. Gen. Lam Beliew and Brig. Wany Juet both brigadiers are IO senior intelligent officers, it was a surprising scenario for someone with no position to bear up seniors members of the movement and was just promoted from zero ranks to Brigadier General in the middle of the year 2017, that scenario almost fitted us against ourselves as one of Wany Juet guards attempted to shot at Bangoang on a UN helicopter which just came to extracted the IO chairman who was almost dying.
On Wednesday 17th of August at evening hour around 4-5pm West African time, MUNUSCO helicopters finally came and airlifted Riek Machar and his wife along with 10 others onboard, by Thursday 18th August, the deputy head of MUNUSCO call David Grisly a French citizen by nationality dispatched their helicopters and brought us some food stuffs, their food stuffs safe a lot of peoples from us, chronologically if that David Grisly food drop couldn’t had come that day than 60% of our forces could have died from starvation, David Grisly humanitarian ground respond really safe a lot of lives and thanks to him.
After the MUNUSCO small food stuffs drop, our leadership entered on negotiation with them and they finally struck an agreement and the leadership signed the declaration on humanitarian ground where we were declared to be dissarmmed and and consider as non combatant whereby we would be placed under International Protectorates as prescribed by International humanitarian laws on right to lives.
After the leadership official declaration for humanitarian ground the MUNUSCO started their mission to extracted us and airlift us from Gramba National Park, they came and airlifted the second groups after Riek Machar on Tuesday 23-24 Wednesday August, after that two consecutive days airlifting of team which included CoGs, his deputy, all movement political appointees and governors than Riek’s MI home General Zeling attempted to divert the IO humanitarian ground agreement with MUNUSCO thus the rest of us who remain behind in the thick forest of Gramba Park should retuned to SS territory five days after the airlifting of CoGS, the Riek’s MI chief changed his mind on the MUNUSCO agreement after we extremely exhausted the little energy we had because in any single days goes by an individuals power was decreasing to an extreme weaker level, when we realized Zeling unhelpful moved we pushed for a officers meeting where we must decide our fade us officers and thus one man must not acts in the expenses of over 700 men, we meet with Riek MI home General which was Monday 29th August, we almost clashed in that meeting, after that officers meeting Zeling accused those of us who spoke in the meeting and frankly dismissed his idea that we should returned to SS territory after we extremely exhausted our power and energy we finally rejected his ills intention and majority accepted our positions that we would continue with the MUNUSCO agreement to extracts us no matter what, by Wednesday 31 August he sent Chot with a plane which came to airlift our severily starved and sicks one, 15 peoples were airlifted on Wednesday 31 August by the following morning Thursday 1st September I was just sleeping under one of tree we used to sleep on, I was just woke up and tell to get to be ready so that I would be among those who shall leave that day.
At 1:30pm West African time, the first two helicopter arrived, our unit list was the first to be called to the first plane, we were called to the helicopter and we board in, on the helicopter, I was with then Maj. Buay Joak now colonel, then Ll. Col. Gatkuoth Jal now Colonel, then Lt. Gattuor Dayiem now Major, Jeremiah Bomen Sero, late Jima Tut Long, then SG. Chuol Lual now Capt. Plus some few names whom I forget, we were sixteen (16) in numbers, we took off at around 2pm (WAT) and landed at Dungu MUNUSCO airbase at 2:57-8, the trip took us about 57-8 minutes.
At Dungu MUNUSCO facility, we met Chot Mathew’s group who were airlifted day before us from Gramba Park, it was a joyful reunion although we were terribly thinking about the fade of our comrades whom we left at the thick and deep Gramba Park Forest.
We spent two days in Dungu before we were separated to different flights where one was direcly taken from Dungu to Goma with our team taken from Dungu for Bunia.
THE STORY IS WRITTEN BY TUT GR. CHUOL ONE OF THE COMMANDING OFFICEE IN THAT FROM JUBA TO THE THIRD EXTRACTIONS BY MUNUSCO 1ST SEPTEMBER OF 2016 AT GRAMBA NATIONAL FOREST OR PAKR, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO (DRC).
The author could be reached by g.tut@yahoo.com/ gonyruach@gmail.com.
To be continue….
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