South Sudan troops take back oil town Malakal

South Sudan government troops say they have recaptured Malakal town located near oil fields, in the oil rich Upper Nile state.  South Sudan army spokesperson, Colonel Phillip Aguer, advised, “We have recaptured Malakal town from anti-government forces.”  He also added, “The whole town came under our control yesterday (Wednesday) at 4:30 pm. We are pursuing the opposition forces towards Nassir.”

He then said they are carrying an assessment of human and material casualties.  “After the assessment, we will publicly inform the media the outcome,” Aguer added.  The rebels have conceded that they have been repelled from Makalal.  “The government troops are currently in control of Malakal town, but we will soon flush them out,” spokesman, James Gatdet Dak said. “We have temporarily pulled back from Malakal for tactical reasons.”

Residents of Malakal celebrated after government troops regained the town.  Upper Nile State Information minister, Philip Jiben Ogal, who confirmed the military takeover of Malakal, said the news had been welcomed the town’s residents.  “It is not simply a military victory, but a big relief to the civil population, especially our people who have been living under trees and in the open space in many places,” he told journalists.

In the past two months, Malakal has witnessed fierce fighting between government troops and rebels, changing hands several times since hostilities broke out last December.  Political tensions erupted in violence in Juba in mid-December before spreading to other parts of South Sudan after President Salva Kiir sacked his deputy, Riek Machar.  There have been reports of gruesome atrocities in Malakal and surrounding areas.  In February, Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) reported that some patients had been shot dead on their hospital beds.

Source: The Africa Report