SPLA And Forces Loyal To Robert Guang Clash In Upper Nile State

7th March 2011 – (Khartoum) –Forces loyal to Robert Guang who defected from the SPLA in 2010 clashed with the SPLA on Sunday in Upper Nile state.

The security advisor to the governor of Upper Nile state, Gabriel Tut Gatchai confirmed the incident to SRS on Monday.

[Tut Gatchai]: "What happened yesterday [Sunday] is this individual called Ulony, a commander in Robert Guang's militias and he is one of the commanders who defected from the SPLM. He was fighting the SPLA in shilluk land. When comrade Simon Kun Puoch was elected as a governor of Upper Nile state the first step he took was to maintain peace in areas occupied by Shilluk and find out what are the demand of this function."

Mister Gatchai added that the recent clashes are against the Fashoda peace conference which is meant to solve all outstanding issues between Guang’s militias and the government.

The number of casualties is yet to be confirmed by the authorities in the area.