The warring factions SPLA-Juba and SPLA-IO clashed this morning in Jamam area of Maban County in Upper Nile State, according to multiple sources. The fighting represents an incursion by Riek Machar’s SPLA-IO into an area controlled by Salva Kiir’s SPLA-Juba faction and the allied Maban Defense Force.

Col. Philip Aguer, spokesman of the SPLA-Juba forces said that SPLA-IO fighters carried out an attack on the area since Thursday evening and ending this morning. He said the attackers were repulsed. “SPLA is controlling Jamam currently,” he claimed.

“The attack came from the direction of the Sudanese border in Bout area,” he said, referring to a town in Tadamon Locality of Blue Nile State.

Likewise, the Upper Nile State Security Advisor John Ivo, who is also loyal to the SPLA-Juba faction and hails from Maban County, said that the attackers came from the north.  

He said that they had been coming from the Bout area in southern Blue Nile since seven days ago.

Ivo said the clashes took place yesterday evening and early this morning at 5:00 but because communications were cut off he could not provide any recent update, noting, “there is no [mobile phone] network in Jamam.”

At least one wounded SPLA officer was taken to Bunj Hospital, he said, referring to the headquarters of Maban County which lies to the east of Jamam.

Asked the direction from which the attack had come he said, “They did not come from Kilo Ashara but by the way of Adar, they were coming from Bout. For three days we have been following them coming.”

Acting State Minister of Information and Communications Gatluak Liphose likewise confirmed the attack but said he still did not have details of the fighting.

Representatives of SPLM-IO could not be reached immediately for comment or were unable to update on the situation.

File photo: SPLA troops in Manyo County, 2013