Renegade Gen. Garhoth Gatkuoth narrowly escaped being captured

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July, 16, 2014

The SPLA Commandos launched a surprised attack today against the rebels at Jingmiir Payam in Nasir County to capture renegade General Garhoth Gatkuoth. Operation Thunderbolt, commanded by the SPLA Brig. General Peter Wiyual Khor, attacked the Headquarters of renegade Garhoth Gatkuoth at dawn on Thursday. Operation Thunderbolt is the reaction to the repeated violations of the ceasefire agreement by the renegade Garhoth Gatkuoth, who has been shelling Nasir town for the last three days.

As IGAD Verification and Monitoring Team can testify, renegade Garhoth Gatkuoth violated the ceasefire agreement many times. On June, 3rd, he attacked a plane carrying IGAD Verification and Monitoring Team while it was landing in Nasir. In the same morning, he launched an assault that was repulsed by the SPLA forces in front of IGAD Monitors.

For the last three days, renegade Garhoth Gatkuoth has been shelling Nasir town from across the Sobat River. The SPLA Commanding officer, Brig. Gen. Peter Wiyual Khor, appealed to IGAD Verification and Monitoring Team in Nasir to stop Garhoth Gatkuoth from violating the ceasefire agreement signed in Addis Ababa between President Kiir and rebel Riek Machar. The IGAD Monitors called Garhoth Gatkuoth on Wednesday to advise him to observe the ceasefire Agreement. However, renegade Garhoth Gatkuoth rejected the call of IGAD’s Monitoring Team and clearly states that he is not bound by the ceasefire agreement signed in Addis Ababa.

After exhausting all avenues, the IGAD Monitors in Nasir advised the SPLA forces to defend themselves because renegade Garhoth Gatkuoth refused to heed the advice of IGAD. As a result, the SPLA Commandos attacked his Headquarters at Jingmiir and Mandeng Boma where his forces stayed. The SPLA Special forces captured both areas and inflicted heavy casualties on the rebel-terrorists. Renegade Garhoth Gatkuoth narrowly escaped with only underwear. Three of his bodyguards and five wounded rebels were captured alive.

In both Jingmiir and Mandeng, the SPLA Commandos captured 128 AK-47s, 4 RPGs and 10 PKM rifles. His assistance, Duer Tut Duir, who was in Mandeng Boma, ran to Ethiopian border. However, his briefcase containing documents was captured. Brig. Gen. Peter Wiyual Khor will hand over the documents to government of South Sudan for further inspection.

For contact:
Gen. Gordon Buay
Former spokesman of SSLM/A
Member of Other Armed Groups Integration Committee
Email: [email protected]