Rebels ambush, kill over 40 SSPDF fighters in Mayom

By Deng Guy Deng

Leaders of a new rebel group, the South Sudan People’s Army led by renegade General Stephen Buay, killed at least 40 SSPDF soldiers Tuesday, during an ambush on a military convoy in Mayom County, Unity state. 

Seven rebel soldiers were also killed in the attack.   The SSPA soldiers intercepted and destroyed a convoy of eight military vehicles which were reportedly carrying military supplies from Juba to Mayom County.

Gattiek said Buay’s fighters ambushed the convoy he claimed were carrying military ammunition with the intention of attacking their positions in Mayom County. 

“The convoy was from Ajakuach County in Warrap state heading towards Mayom County and the mission of the SSPDF convoy was to reinforce its forces in Mayom and launch an attack on us… We lost seven soldiers, 20 wounded and 40 enemy soldiers,” Gattiek said.

The rebel fighters also destroyed military vehicles and seized weapons and ammunition. They were also accused of killing civilians but the rebels deny the claims.

“We don’t have any problem with civilians. We are friendly to the civilians. They know our targets and we also know our targets,” Gattiek said.

“The fact that the government is saying that we killed some civilians along with the soldiers is a false allegation. I can assure you that we have no problem with civilians and the civilians are okay with us staying together,” he added.

SSPDF spokesperson Major General Lul Ruai Koang confirmed knowledge of the incident in Mayom County but said the general military headquarters in Bilpam, Juba was not ready to comment on the reported ambush. 

The rebels assassinated Mayom County Commissioner James Chuol Gatluak Manime on July 22 at his residence alongside 11 others among whom were his bodyguards and family members.

General Buay told South Sudan in Focus on Friday that the attack was motivated by revenge after a pro-government militia under the command of the late Gatluak attacked their position in a place called Bong.  

In a July 22^nd letter, Buay is quoted as saying, “our people have been tribalized by the regime [in Juba]. They are unable to work together to achieve justice and freedom to confide in each other.”

General Buay said all forms of peaceful and nonviolent means have failed and his armed resistance aims to liberate people by unseating what he referred to as a “despotic regime.”  

Buay was formerly the commander of the 5th infantry division of the SSPDF. He was arrested by the National Security Service in late 2018 in Mayom County and was found guilty of treason, rebellion, and other offenses by a military court in 2019 and sentenced to a year in prison. President Salva Kiir later pardoned him.