SPLA Confirms Its General Was Wounded By Rebels

This article was last updated on May 26, 2022

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SPLA Spokesman Philip Aguer told Gurtong that, Gen. Johnson Olony commanding government forces in one side of Malakal was wounded and is under medical care.

“We can confirm yes Maj. Gen. Olony is wounded but he is not in bad condition. He was wounded in Malakal,” Aguer said. He added: “he is being taken care of by SPLA medical personnel.”

Olony, an ex rebel fighter against the government of South Sudan but recently reconciled after President Salva Kiir pardoned him and other militia leaders. He is one of the SPLA’s fighters commanding forces in several parts of the Greater Upper Nile region against the rebels loyal to Riek following the breakout of the crisis last year in December.

On the other hand Aguer could not confirm the situation in Malakal, saying he could not access his officials on ground due to network breakdown. “For Malakal, we are still controlling the area of the airport and the rebels are in the southern part of the town,” Aguer said.

“The network is very poor. I did not manage to communicate with those SPLA officials on ground in Malakal because the net work is difficult to call Malakal,” Aguer said. Fighting between rebels and SPLA broke out in Malakal on Tuesday with government accusing the rebels of attacking its forces.

The clashes question the respect of the cessation of hostilities agreement signed by both parties last month in an effort to minimize the violence and killings in the country.