Malakal got fall to Machar.

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NEWS SATURDAY 18 JANUARY 2014

S. Sudanese army launches effort to recapture Malakal from rebel forces

January 17, 2014 (JUBA) - The South Sudanese army (SPLA) on Friday admitted losing control of Malakal, the Upper Nile state capital to rebels forces, but said an intensive counter attack to retake the town was underway.

The army spokesperson Phillip Aguer said they had lost contact with their commander in the strategic town now claimed by both sides, but insisted the SPLA would soon gain full control of the oil-rich capital.

"The SPLA commander in Malakal has not been reachable since yesterday [Friday]”, Aguer told Sudan Tribune on Saturday, while referring to Gen. Johnson Gony Bilieu, who is the sector II commander in Malakal.

"The SPLA forces are north of Malakal town. They are controlling the airport and key infrastructures and other important installations. The rebels are in the southern part but we moving towards where they are", he added.

Farhan Haq, a spokesperson for the UN Secretary General said Thursday that anti-government forces "appear to be in control of the town [Malakal], as nearly 20,000 civilians sought protection at its base.

Violence erupted in the country’s capital, Juba in mid-December last year and spread to other parts of the country along ethnic fault lines with over 1,000 killed and more than 400,000 displaced, according to UN figures.

Ivan Simonovic, the UN Assistant Undersecretary General for Human Rights described said on Friday described the South Sudan situation as "an internal armed conflict" that has caused untold suffering for thousands of civilians.

“Clearly the crisis, which started as a political one, has now taken on an inter-ethnic dimension that urgently needs to be addressed. People on both sides are absolutely convinced that the other side is to blame, which makes the situation even more dangerous", Simonovic told reporters in Juba.

“One month of conflict has set South Sudan back a decade", he added.

The top UN official said there was for an independent fact-finding commission to establish the truth of these terrible events, citing mass atrocities allegedly committed by both sides.

“Thousands of people have been killed and hundreds of thousands are now displaced, with some 70,000 people seeking protection in UN camps and 30,000 in the two UN compounds in Juba alone,” he added.

South Sudan’s defense minister, however, said the SPLA forces had been making significant movement into the rebels held positions as both side battle to control key towns so as to strengthen their position at negotiations in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

"They have repulsed rebels attempting to return to Bentiu yesterday [Thursday] and they are now controlling most parts of Malakal town. They [rebels] are only in the southern parts", Kuol Manyang Juuk said Friday.

Meanwhile, South Sudan’s information minister said government would soon take control of all the rebel-held areas, if they continue to reject the signing of the cessation of hostilities agreement.

"If at all the rebels do not accept the cessation of hostilities and sign it on time, then definitely they are going to lose all the positions which they are holding at the moment", Michael Makuei said in a statement on SSTV.

The SPLA are advancing toward Bor and you will hear it soon that the government forces have taken it, he added.

(ST)

• ST - UN says S. Sudan rebels “appear to be in control” of Malakal town

• South Sudan conflict / crisis

MACHAR IS LEADING .... but at what coast people are dying.

Anti-governmental forces “appear to be in control” of Malakal: UN


January 16, 2013 (JUBA) – Forces opposed to South Sudan government “appear to be in control” of Malakal, the Upper Nile state capital, a United Nations official said on Thursday.

“The Mission reports that anti-government forces appear to be in control of the town [Malakal], Farhan Haq, a spokesperson for the Secretary General told a UN briefing, adding that about 20,000 civilians were being protected at its base in the capital.

Security in the area has, in recent days, been tense after clashes between rebels loyal to South Sudan former vice-president Riek Machar and government-allied forces.

However, both government and rebel forces are now claiming to have full control of the area, with one of the largest oil fields.

The general security situation in Malakal was reportedly very tense in recent days, with very few shops opened and civilian movements.

UN PROTESTS RESTRICTIONS

Already, the mission has expressed concerns over restrictions allegedly imposed on the movement of ammunition for its troops.

“It [UN] reminds all parties that, as stated by the Security Council, efforts to undermine the mission’s ability to implement its mandate, as it seeks to protect civilians, will not be tolerated”, said Haq.

He reiterated the mission’s mandate to remain impartial and protect all civilians.

Despite all these challenges, however, the mission said security had been boosted in its bases across the country where some 65,000 civilians are currently seeking shelter.

Also undertaken, according to the mission, was thorough search for weapons by its police force, while additional police units authorized by the Security Council last December will arrive by the end of next week.

“These units will be deployed at bases in Juba, Malakal and Bentiu”, it said in a statement.

FIGHTING IN BENTIU

Meanwhile there were also reports of heavy shooting and shelling in Unity state capital on Wednesday as about 5,300 civilians sought shelter in two UN sites.

More than 200,000 South Sudanese have reportedly been displaced during the conflict, with nearly 80,000 said to have fled fleeing to neigbouring Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia and Sudan.

(ST)

Intervention of UGANDA!!!!

Uganda’s Museveni appoints new head of S. Sudan operations


January 12, 2014 (KAMPALA/JUBA) – Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni has reportedly appointed Col. Kayanja Muhanga as overall commander of its army (UPDF) operations in South Sudan.

According to the Daily Monitor newspaper, Col. Muhanga, until now the military police boss, will mainly be tasked with a more sensitive role that involves diplomacy, politics and military command.

The Ugandan army spokesperson, Lt. Col Paddy Ankunda confirmed the appointment in an interview with the Ugandan daily, describing the newly appointed officer as an “accomplished commander”.

He was, however, quoted saying Uganda was in the process of signing the Status of Force Agreement (SFA) with South Sudan government so as to officially define UPDF operations in the country.

“They [South Sudan] have written to us officially and SFA will be signed soon with the government of South Sudan and if the Window is open, we might be involved in peace enforcement,” further told Daily Monitor.

Officials from South Sudan army (SPLA) have remained tight-lipped on Uganda’s military involvement in the nearly one-month conflict.

In recent weeks, however, the involvement of the UPDF in the South Sudanese conflict has drawn mixed reactions, yet the army claims it only entered Juba to protect its citizens trapped in the violence.

But Museveni, a close ally of South Sudan President Salva Kiir, recently admitted that he sent his troops to “help restore hope” in South Sudan, confirming his military’s involvement in the conflict.

Rebels loyal to South Sudan former vice-president Riek Machar have demanded complete withdrawal of Ugandan forces from South Sudan, saying the latter was interfering into its internal affairs.

On Friday, members of the United Nations Security Council warned against external involvement in South Sudan’s conflict and expressed fears of possible escalation.

Dissident forces lost control of Bentiu, the Unity state capital on Friday after it was retaken by the South Sudanese army, forcing residents to flee in to neigbouring areas. The rebels also fled the area, which they controlled for about two weeks.

Intense fighting, which initially started in the capital, Juba spread to other parts of the country, killing more than 1,000 people and displacing over 200,000 in its worst ever post-session conflict.

(ST)

Uganda have no wright to interven in South Sudan.