At least 14 South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) soldiers, including two police officers, were killed and five others injured in a deadly clash among the Tiger Unit in Athoony near Abyei Box on Monday evening.
According to Lt. Gen. Peter Bawa Jamus, the commander of
Twic–Abyei operational forces, the fighting erupted after an officer shot and
killed a captain he accused of having an affair with his wife.
The officer was also killed on the spot, leading to hours of
gunfire among soldiers in the unit.
“A 2nd Lieutenant identified as Koch Khai found a captain
identified Deng Dol talking with his wife. He didn’t take patience and started shooting.
He killed the captain on spot, and he was also killed. Both died on spot,”
Jamus said.
“The fighting was between Tiger division unit alone and
majority of the death is among tiger division unit.14 soldiers were killed.
Majority of the deceased are soldiers, two policemen and 4 others sustained
injuries.”
The commander said the fighting has stopped and the
situation has calmed. However, he said that more than 400 former SPLA-IO
forces, part of the unified VIP protection unit deployed outside the Abyei Box,
deserted their positions in Athoony, Biemnhom, Aneet, and Makuei Gum.
The deserters, under the command of Colonel James Gatjiek
Koang, reportedly moved north toward the Abyei Administrative Area.
The commander on the ground says the situation in Athoony
has since returned to normal, but the SSPDF and the SPLA-IO spokespersons said investigations are ongoing into what triggered the deadly
confrontation within the SSPDF ranks.
“Armed confrontations had erupted between the unified VIP
protection force deployed outside of Abyei Box. More updates will follow as soon as SSPDF's
components of the unified force are done with mopping- up operations,” said
Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang, SSPDF spokesperson.
“Clashes erupted in Abyei between the SPLA-IO component of
the Unified VIP Protection Force and the SSPDF. Details will follow later as
clashes still ongoing,” Col. Lam Paul Gabriel, SPLA-IO Spokesperson
Daniel Mathiang Malek, the clinical officer in charge of
Mayen Abun Hospital, said five wounded soldiers are receiving treatment at the
facility.
“The wounded people who reached us here in Mayen Abun
Hospital are eight, and later three people died last night, remaining five
patients. They are in critical condition and will be referred to Mother Teresa
Hospital for further treatment,” Malek stated.