The army is under siege in Pibor town by constant rebel attacks and it is unable to check the interethnic violence taking place in the restive county of Jonglei State.
The US embassy in South Sudan issued a statement on Wednesday saying it was ‘deeply disappointed the SPLA did not establish a posture appropriate to defend civilians in vulnerable areas, despite advance warning of the mobilization of armed youth.’
The statement added that ‘the lack of action to protect civilians constitutes an egregious abdication of responsibility by the SPLA and the civilian government.’
CRN asked army spokesperson Philip Aguer Panyang to comment on the statement issued by the US embassy.
Colonel Aguer said in a phone interview that the army is stuck in Pibor in a defensive position, ‘under constant attack by the militia’ and it is not able to come out and try to defuse the current clashes between Lou Nuer and Murle youths.
He added that the army is able to protect only people in the town, not in the villages outside Pibor.
Colonel Aguer said the army is under siege in Pibor town and does not have any information about the clashes that are taking place in Pibor County involving thousands of heavily armed Lou Nuer and Murle youths.