By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
NIMULE
Following an attack on a military base inside Nimule, South Sudanese Joint Command Council forces have urged Ugandans, and other neighboring communities not to travel to Nimule until further notice.
“On the 11 October, 2023, JCC forces attacked a military Base at Nimule Airstrip as awareness to the civilians to evacuate but the attack was largely ignored. Civilians in the vicinity of Nimule town and surrounding are asked to evacuate immediately. Evacuate Nimule now,” read civilians evacuation order in parts.
In a statement by the forces spokesperson, South Sudanese communities leaders in Juba, across Sudan, Uganda and refugee leaders in Northern Uganda have been asked to inform the population not to use the Nimule – Juba road which they said is under siege.
The forces under the command of Cde John Aborcup Akuer accuse President Salva Kiir and his vice President Riak Machar government of failing to fairly pay private soldiers in the armed forces and practicing of open discrimination in the national army and brutal disarmament of the Mundari tribe people.
The forces warned that anybody that forcefully crosses to South Sudan using Nimule will be considered an enemy with military supply to government forces.
“Any vehicle travelling Nimule road; big or small, marked or unmarked will be considered a camouflaged carrier of military cargo for President Kir and Riak Machar’s military. Violators are the main supporters of President Kiir and Vice Machar who are responsible for the suffering of the people of South Sudan,” JCC forces warned.
The civilians in Torit, Lainya, Kapoeta and Yei have also been asked to deploy high vigilance and the population across South Sudan advised to buy and stock enough food.
They demanded that the road will not be opened until the government of South Sudan agrees to pay each private/soldier in armed forces a salary of $200 per a month, stop the discriminative and brutal disarmament against the people of Mundari tribe.
Government forces have also been tasked to stop attacks on civilians in Pochalla to calm the situation.