Fighting that broke out on Tuesday morning in Pariang County of South Sudan’s Unity State between government troops and SPLA-In Opposition forces resumed yesterday at Lalop area, according to the county government.

The county commissioner told Radio Tamazuj that the fighting had halted in Tom-South and Khatel-Nar area. However, he accused the rebels of attacking their position again in Lalop area on Wednesday afternoon.

“The rebel forces attacked our position again in Lalop, but they were repulsed by the SPLA forces stationed in the area,” Pariang County Commissioner told Radio Tamazuj yesterday. He pointed out that the attack had come from Panakuac area. He added the rebels have been defeated across Unity State except in Panakuac area.

Manyiel accused the opposition fighters of violating the cessation of hostilities agreement signed in Addis Ababa. 

Meanwhile, the SPLA-IO rebels confirmed the fighting in Pariang County from Tuesday until Wednesday, but didn’t give further details about the battles.

Nargi Roman, deputy spokesman of the SPLM-IO leader Riek Machar, told Radio Tamazuj that the fighting was continuing in Pariang County yesterday. He claimed that they inflicted heavy losses on the government troops in terms of lives and military equipment.

Fighting claim in Bazia

In other development, the rebel official said their forces repulsed an attack by Salva Kiir’s forces on Bazia area of Wau County in Western Bahr al Ghazal on Tuesday evening.

He claimed that they are still controlling the area. “The government forces tried to attack the area again on Wednesday morning, but they were defeated,” he said.

But a senior government official in Wau earlier said South Sudanese rebels loyal to former Vice President Riek Machar had withdrawn from Bazia area which they claimed to have captured on Sunday morning.

Bazia village lies on a road south of the Western Bahr al Ghazal State capital Wau about 50 kilometers south of Wau on the Tambura-Wau road.

Radio Tamazuj could not reach government officials to comment on the armed opposition's latest claims.