South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"
By Waure Eddy
Violent clashes erupted on Wednesday between the South Sudan People’s Defense Force (SSPDF) and the opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Army-In Opposition (SPLA-IO) in Tambura County.
The Commissioner of Tambura County, Mathew Edward Mabenge, confirmed to this newspaper the clashes followed an attack on Wednesday morning on the SSPDF barracks by SPLA-IO forces, adding that the two exchanged fire for more than one hour.
“There was heavy gunshots in the morning and afternoon was because the armed group of SPLA-IO attacked the SSPDF barracks, no one was killed but some of the displaced people who ran for safety at the base of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) sustained minor injuries,” said Mabenge.
Mabenge said that the state government and the national government should intervene to protect and provide humanitarian assistance to thousands of displaced people in the camp.
“Life is hard in Tambura County, we need the state government and national government to take immediate action about what has been going on since 2021,” he said.
Mabenge disclosed that some of the people in Tambura County have now fled to neighboring areas of Ezo, Nzara, Source-Yubu and Yambio.
The Minister of Information in Western Equatoria State, Elia Usini Dominic, said they are working together with the national government to deploy additional forces to provide security for the civilians ahead of the festive season.
“State government is not sleeping; we are doing our level best to ensure safety of people in Tambura. Some two weeks back we went with the Deputy Governor to Tambura County and we experienced the same challenges population faces,” said Usini.