UP

South Sudan army captures main rebel base

Home page Army
12 Punto 14 Punto 16 Punto 18 Punto

South Sudan's army has captured the main rebel stronghold of Pagak near the Ethiopian border, forcing thousands of people to flee, the rebels said on Monday.

Axar.az reports citing Reuters that, rebel spokesman Lam Paul Gabriel said rebel forces pulled out of Pagak after coming under attack in the early hours of Sunday.

"We realized it would be costly for civilians and our forces have withdrawn," Lam told Reuters.

Pagak, deep in the heartland of South Sudan's Nuer people, one of its main ethnic groups, has been at the center of rebel operations since 2014.

The government's attempts to take it began July, forcing aid workers to evacuate and the West to condemn the assault as a "clear violation" of a ceasefire declared in May by President Salva Kiir, an ethnic Dinka.

Despite the setback, Lam said the fall of Pagak did not mean the end of the Nuer's struggle against South Sudan's Dinka-dominated government and security forces.

"Taking the headquarters is not the end of the war," Lam said.

Both sides had sustained casualties, he added. A government spokesman did not comment.

South Sudan descended into civil war in 2013, only two years after independence, when Kiir fired his Nuer deputy, Riek Machar, unleashing a conflict that has since splintered along multiple ethnic lines.

Machar has been under house arrest in South Africa since December under an attempt by regional leaders to bring about an end to the conflict.

Date
2017.08.07 / 16:43
Author
Axar.az
See also

Defense Ministry releases weekly review - Video

Armenian armed forces once again resort to provocations

Defense Ministry publishes weekly review - Video

Defense Ministry presents review of events - Video

Defense Ministry releases weekly review - Video

Azerbaijan Army serviceman awarded in the United Kingdom

Azerbaijan Defense Ministry releases weekly review - Video

Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry holds official meeting

Barda rocket attack: Remembering the tragedy

Day 968: Russia updates Ukraine losses

Latest
Xocalı soyqırımı — 1992-ci il Bağla
Bize yazin Bağla
ArxivBağla