The former South Sudan Vice President, Dr Riek Machar, has revealed that his forces are now organising to move to Juba for a last blow against the regime of President Salva Kiir.

Former South Sudan Vice President, Dr Riek Macha

Machar has maintained that he is not ready to end the war until the regime of Kiir is ousted from power.

In a recent interview, he disclosed that the rebellion was forced on him and he is ready to further it until his opponent is no longer the president of South Sudan.

“My detained group and 1 were not willing to stage any rebellion. But because of Kiir’s incompetence to lead and provide a good ground for political debate and reforms in the country, we are made who we become to be now. There will be an end to this problem when Kiir leaves the presidency,” Riek said.

However, he denied the capture of Bor and Malakal saying it’s a mere propaganda by a desperate government that wants to have leverages in the negotiation table.

“We withdrew from Bor last Friday tactically to see how many the Ugandan forces escorted by SPLA armies loyal to Kiir were and how we can attack them strategically without losing lives from our side,” he noted.

“We have defeated not more than once and they suffered lots of lives.”

“In Malakal, there was only a small fight at the airport against Ugandan forces who were air dropped to fight us. We repulsed them back off and right now we are in the control of the town.”

“We are aiming to go to Renk as one battalion of SPLA loyal to Kiir there is refusing to surrender to our forces,” Riek added.

It should be remembered that after the recapture of Bentiu town in Unity states, the rebels also claimed to had withdrawn tactically so as to launch another assault.

More so, SPLA believed they had defeated Gen Peter Gadet’s army last year when an air force bombarded his militant bases in Bor, but afterwards, the Nuer White Army launched another attack, defeating SPLA decisively and retaking Bor town.

In the Upper Nile states, rebels took Malakal before SPLA intensified attacks and “recaptured” it.

Not soon afterwards, we were told the “Gallantry Force” of Gen Gat-hoth Gatkuoth was in charge of the capital again.

Now, the rebel leader once again clarifies that they never lost Bor but tactically withdrew to launch fresh attacks later.

In addition, they have now raised stakes and the prize target is Juba: the most sensitive and vital government stronghold.

Then SPLA came out once more to claim full control of the town as opposed to rebels who say they are still in charge of Malakal.

This comes at a time when IGAD summit which was to further the signing of the ceasefire agreement was cancelled because “regional governments failed to reach a conclusive agreement on how to handle the South Sudan question”.

However, rebels have maintained that UPDF continued deployment is the reason behind the cancelling of the Thursday’s conference in Juba that was expected to be attended by all 7 Heads of State in the region who had already confirmed attendance.

Source: The Upper Nile Times