An official of the South Sudanese government in Unity State has acknowledged that the national army (SPLA) no longer controls Mayom town, confirming earlier reports by Sudan Tribune.

State Security Advisor John Malok said, “Our force are not present in – they are present in a place called Tomor. That is one of the payams of Mayom County.”

“Our forces are around Mayom,” he said when asked whether the opposition had taken the town. “Battle is continuing until now,” he said, speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Tuesday afternoon.

Information Minister Michael Makuei Lueth told the United Nations-owned Radio Miraya that government troops ‘tactically withdrew’ from Mayom and that it was a matter of time for them to regain control of the town.

“The so called SPLM in opposition forces have entered Mayom. They are now in the area, but it is just a matter of time and the SPLA forces will flush them out," he was quoted as saying.

Mayom County borders Warrap State to the west, the home state of President Salva Kiir. It is also the home county of Joseph Monytuil, the caretaker governor of Unity State appointed last July.

SPLM/A-in-Opposition, the armed group that took over the state capital and Mayom in fighting since last week, has announced the appointment of Peter Gadet Yak as military governor of the state, replacing the rebels’ earlier governor claimant, James Koang Chuol.

The move is aimed in part at undercutting Joseph Monytuil’s support among the Bul Nuer community of Mayom County, from which both he and Gadet hail. The previous rebel ‘governor’, for his part, will move into the role of overall military commander for SPLA-IO.

Related coverage:

Unity State: ‘Matthew Puljang did not defect’ (15 Apr.)

Mayom: ‘Ghost town, burnt down, many bodies’ (8 Jan.)

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