Upper Nile State , South Sudan.
October 8, 2021— At least 4 people were killed and others sustained injuries in an attack carried out by gunmen on what was reported as a passengers’ boat in Nasir County of the oil-rich Upper Nile State on Wednesday, according to local officials.
In a statement seen by Nyamilepedia, a local official in Nasir said the ambushed boat was carrying Community Chief and elders who were heading to Lire area to advise forces loyal to Gen. Gatwech Dual to peacefully vacate the area in order to avoid confrontations with Dr. Machar’s forces.
“Community chiefs from Wanga-Ading Payam were going to the Lire area to talk to Gen. Simon Gatwech’s forces who defected in September to vacate the area to avoid clashes because Riek Machar’s forces are also present in the area. On arrival before disembarking, they were ambushed in Lire, and one person was killed while four others sustained injuries,” Duol Kuon, Commissioner of Nasir County, told Radio Tamazuj.
According to local officials, those injured are still in Lire and that arrangements are being made to evacuate them to Nasir town for medical treatment.
“The incident took place on Wednesday at 12 PM. So, the injured are still there but we are planning to bring them to Nasir town so that they are treated. Those attackers went to an area called Kier after the incident” One official confirmed.
Responding to these reports, the SPLA-IO Kitgwang military spokesman, Brig.Gen. William Gatjath Deng, said no peace can be made without their consent.
According to Gatjiath, their forces fought forces of Riek Machar after they learned that they were trying to attack them.
“No peace can be made without our knowledge. Machar’s forces came from Nasir and attacked us in Kier. They were not coming for peace. There, we clashed with them and killed four people from their side. From our side, only two soldiers were injured.”, Deng said.
On other hand, the SPLA-IO Military spokesperson under Machar, Col. Lam Paul Gabriel, said he was not aware of the clashes that were reported by Gen. William Gatjiath Deng.
