SPLA flushes rebels out of Bor

SPLA flushes rebels out of Bor, state authorities calls for humanitarian assistance

BOR, 26 December 2013 - The Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) on Tuesday, flashed out rebel forces loyal to the former Vice President Dr Riek Machar out of Bor, the Capital of Jongolei state after holding onto the strategic town for close to six days.

“The situation is calm and secure now, however the problem is the whole place has been looted; the rebels destroyed every thing; shops, houses, banks, Hon. Mugato Chan Gilo, Jongolei state minister for Corporative and rural development who until the capture of the town was camping at the UN compound said.

People are suffering, in the UN Compound, they are staying without food and water, people are dying because of the absence of these basic human needs, Hon. Gilo decried. He appealed for support from the international community as well as from South Sudan’s ministry of Gender and Humanitarian Affairs to save the lives of the people of Jonglei and Bor in particular.

Gen Gadet commanded the Sudan People's Liberation Army's (SPLA) 8th Division in Jonglei State until his defection in December after the foiled coup attempt. Dr Machar who is still at large, is being accused by the Government for staging the coup.

Hon. Gilo said the rebels are believed to have moved towards Padak and towards the road leading to Pibor. “It’s most likely that they might divert to Akobo”, he added.

Shops have been turned ‘upside down’ some burnt to ashes, banks vandalized, Bor main referral hospital was also loot. Pieces of boxes from looted shops and burnt building characterized the ghost town of Bor. Minimum deaths also occurred during the two-day battle for Bor. A few Corpses could be seen lying on the streets.

The Bor branch of Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB), a pioneer bank with the widest coverage in the country was not spared. The attackers did not only loot it but also set the building ablaze.

“If at all these group mean to rule this country, why destroy captured property, property of the people of South Sudan”, Hon. South Sudan Information minister Michael Makuei Lueth pondered.

The town is liberated; people taking refugee at the UN Compound must go back their respective houses, Hon. Makuei remarked. He re-echoed the government’s reediness to dialogue with the rebels.

“We are ready to talk with the rebels, Our problem with them is they want the talks to be based on three conditions…………the government is not ready for any pre-conditioned talks”, Makuei who is also the official Government spokesman said upon arrival at Juba International Airport from Bor on Wednesday were he led a team of both local and international journalists to see the level of destruction in the capital of South Sudan’s largest state.

Reported by Matata Saf

ENDS

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