SPLA “Repulses Rebels Attack At Renk”

This article was last updated on May 27, 2022

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Many residents in Renk County have reported that sounds of gunfire were heard to the west of the Nile on Wednesday night.

The Deputy Governor, Hon. Awer Dau Agany, speaking on phone from  Malakal said that most of the Shilluk land is under control of being controll of government forces but admited that 
“only Wadakona, which serves as the seat for Manyo County, is under rebel control.”

Dau said that areas of Doleib, Panyikang and Tonga are being held by pro-government forces.
Kaka is another major town in Manyo County that has switched hands many times between rebels and SPLA. The town is now the new seat of the county headquarters according to sources.

“Our SPLA forces are controlling most of the areas in Panyikang County, even Tonga town is under government control. Kaka town,  in the far north of Manyo County, earlier fall to our forces. The only town in the Shilluk Kingdom under rebels is Wadakona. We let them stay
there because the government forces are observing the cessation of Hostilities agreement,” Dau said.

Upper Nile State residents in the northern counties express fear of rebel attacks in theose areas. 

Wadakona is the Headquarters of Manyo County, located in the north of Upper Nile state adjacent to Renk, however, the twin-towns are separated by the White Nile with both towns being in the either sides.

Dau said the fear of the citizens and government is due to rebels’ failure to respect the ceasefire agreements which has been signed by both parties.

“On August 27th, I paid a visit to Nasir County and pro-Machar forces launched a shelling attack on our positions. Ttwo soldiers were wounded nearby our place. Our visit was only five
hours and so we brought along those wounded SPLA soldiers. I just want to tell you that rebels still don’t care about implementing the ceasefire agreement,” he said.

Civilians fear that rebel fighters at the border towns between South Sudan and Sudan are being armed by their northern neighbor and that if stronger measures are not taken they will come in from the north.

The deputy governor revealed that rebel fighters have looted thousand of herds of cattle from their fellow Nuer who have refused to fight their government.

“Some new clashes are happening in some villages surrounding Nasir. The rebels have wanted to punish those who have refused to fight the government and therefore they looted their belongings and kill some during clashes that excluded SPLA forces from the government’s side,” he stated.

Wadakona has exchanged hands with rebels several times since the armed conflict began in mid-December in South Sudan. Both Wadakona and Renk towns are north and very near to Paloch oil-fields, which government and rebel fighters try to control to boost
their sides economically.