A raiding party from Manyo County crossed the Nile into Renk County of Upper Nile state and clashed briefly with government loyalists about 45 km south of Renk town, two sources told Radio Tamazuj today. 

Col. Philip Aguer, the official spokesman for South Sudan's army (SPLA), accused rebel forces of carrying out the attack in the Majak area, even as negotiations were ongoing for a security agreement in Addis Ababa.

The spokesman also claimed that rebels attacked Doleib area south of Malakal on Tuesday using mortars and heavy weapons. He said that diplomatic missions in Juba would be informed of rebel violations of the ceasefire. 

Another independent source in the area, who declined to be named, confirmed the attack south of Renk, but described it as an attack intended to rob cattle.

“A small group of rebels crossed the river in order to take cattle there,” he said, explaining that the group ended up clashing briefly with SPLA. It is not clear whether anybody died but the rebels were repulsed, he said. 

For their part, several citizens in Renk told Radio Tamazuj that the situation is stabilizing. Attacks in April and early May had prompted thousands of people to flee the town. 

Some traders say that prices are now stable and noted that they are open for business as usual.

Mohamed Saleh said, “Our goods inside the shops were taken care of by the security service with the commissioner who managed to secure the commodities in the market, so no shops were broken during the crisis.”

“Prices have not changed in the market, although there was small changes in price for items that used to be brought from Juba,” said Rebecca Akuol.  

File photo: A member of SPLA Division 7 in Manyo County, Upper Nile State (Radio Tamazuj)