Scores Killed, Bodies Littering Malakal Town Tens of people are reported to have been killed amid wide spread looting and houses being torched in Malakal capital, agencies said Friday. 23 February 2014
By Waakhe Simon Wudu *JUBA - 23 February 2014 [Gurtong] -* According to the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), its officials have witnessed scattered bodies littering on streets in Malakal after getting to some parts of the town a day after the clashes. On Thursday when the UNMISS military personnel made some tour within the capital, Malakal they "saw dozens of bodies scattered on the streets" and "somehow they saw over fifty bodies" lying, UNMISS Acting Spokesperson Joe Contreras told Gurtong. He said there are evidence of wide spread looting of property in "large amount" including one bank. UNMISS however, was not in a position to verify at the press time who carried out the looting. But already government has pointed accusing fingers hands at the rebels. Last Tuesday, rebels loyal to ex Vice President Riek Machar recaptured Malakal from government forces. The town has now exchanged hands three times between the two forces. Contreras further said UNMISS officials on ground noticed presence of anti-government forces in areas they went to. "We have not yet had a chance to go all over the town... We also noted accounts from the opposition forces themselves that they are in control of Malakal," he added. He said couple of anti-government Commanders told UNMISS military personnel they - anti government forces - are in control of Malakal town. Government has denied the rebels' claim, saying they share the control of the town. Some citizens in Juba are mourning the death of their family members who are claimed to have been killed following the clashes over there. Malakal's latest clash is one of the worst since government and rebels signed cessation of hostilities agreement last month. The Inter-governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) brokering the peace talks between the two parties is reported to have expressed disappointment over the violations of the cessation of hostilities. The attack came the day when peace talks between the two parties got stalled over what insiders describe as "unmet" demands of rebels by the government. The rebels have demanded the release of four suspects currently on detention after been accused of masterminding a coup in December. But earlier, government said and insisted it can only have unconditional peace talks with the rebels. The latest clashes question any possibility of a breakthrough by the two parties on the peace talks. The United States and the United Nations have cautioned the two sides to refrain from the clashes and respect the cessation of the hostilities, warning the situation may likely worsen. Aid agencies including the Medicines Sans Frontiers providing aid to thousands of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in several parts of the country including Malakal has expressed concerns, warning escalating insecurity situation especially in Malakal is likely to increase more IDPs. Posted in: Home<http://www.gurtong.net/ECM/Editorial/tabid/124/ctl/CategoryView/mid/519/categoryId/1/Home.aspx> , Humanitarian<http://www.gurtong.net/ECM/Editorial/tabid/124/ctl/CategoryView/mid/519/categoryId/8/Humanitarian.aspx> , Foreign Aid/Assistance<http://www.gurtong.net/ECM/Editorial/tabid/124/ctl/CategoryView/mid/519/categoryId/30/Foreign-AidAssistance.aspx> , Featured Stories<http://www.gurtong.net/ECM/Editorial/tabid/124/ctl/CategoryView/mid/519/categoryId/137/Featured-Stories.aspx> -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "South Sudan Info - The Kob" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/SouthSudanKob. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/SouthSudanKob/CAJb14opJ_a7OT_VWUfErZUN-oGa4ZOybUczhQLh-c6YRYNaE4g%40mail.gmail.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
