Rebels say recaptured main stronghold of Pagak

[Elisabeth Janaina]

Rebels say recaptured main stronghold of Pagak
File photo: Rebel fighters hold up their rifles as they walk in front
of a bushfire in a rebel-controlled territory in Upper Nile state,
South Sudan Feb. 13, 2014.
File photo: Rebel fighters hold up their rifles as they walk in front
of a bushfire in a rebel-controlled territory in Upper Nile state,
South Sudan Feb. 13, 2014.

South Sudan's rebels on Saturday said they had recaptured Pagak, their
main headquarters near the Ethiopian border, from government troops
after launching attacks on government bases since Friday morning.

The town of Pagak was seized by government army last week but clashes
erupted on Friday with rebels allied to former first vice president
Riek Machar in order to regain it.

“Our forces have recaptured Pagak...government forces are now based
near the border with Ethiopia. They (government forces) are now
together with Ethiopian forces. We clashed yesterday near the bridge
of Pagak,” rebel movement spokesman William Gatjiath told Radio
Tamazuj today.

Rebel deputy spokesman Lam Paul Gabriel also said government forces
pulled out of Pagak after coming under attack on Saturday.

“Pagak is not under the control of government troops. The government
forces are based near the bridge which is very close to the border
with Ethiopia, so we cannot fight them because they are very close to
Ethiopia,” he said.

Dickson Gatluak Jock, military spokesman for the country's First Vice
President, Taban Deng Gai, denied the rebel forces had recaptured
Pagak. “Our forces are based near the bridge, and the rebels are in
Nyambura area which is located about 10 kilometres away from Pagak,”
he said.

Bol Ruach Rom, a government-appointed governor of Maiwut, denied the
government had lost Pagak saying they have been repulsing rebel
offensives in Pagak. “We are still in Pagak. I am now in the town of
Pagak, so I want to say we haven’t gone anywhere,” he said.