Lt. General Simon Gatwech Dual (left) and his former comrade Lt. General Johnson Olony first defected from the SPLM-IO under Dr. Riek Machar before falling apart again in the middle of 2022. | Photo: Courtesy.

Authorities in Upper Nile said armed men attacked Panyikang County, killing a man and wounding his parents.

The incident, which occurred in Adidiang area on Wednesday, reportedly displaced hundreds of civilians to Malakal town and the surrounding areas.

The state Minister of Information Luke Sadallah said the attackers are a militia group called ‘N4’ and affiliated with the Kit-Gawang faction of General Simon Gatwech.

General Simon Gatwech’s faction could not be reached for comment.

But Minister Luke Sadallah says a security meeting on Thursday established that the attack followed clashes between the forces of General Gatwech and the Agwelek forces of Johnson Olony in Tonga area.

Sadallah reported that the violence took place few kilometers towards SSPDF garrison in Owec.

“The group that attacked is belonging to Simon Gatwech group, but there is another name that we heard called “N-Four” it is the group that attacked the area,” said Sadalla.

“So we as a government tell the divided groups of Olony and Gatwech in Tonga that they should not move to the areas of the civilians who fled for protection and to save themselves in the place near the government.”

Minister Sadallah said the army could not intervene due to its commitment to the 2018 cessation of hostilities agreement which only mandates the act of self-defense.

According to the official, a team has been dispatched to the area to assess the aftermath of the attack, where casualties could be many.

Eye Radio was unable to independently verify the death toll in the attack.

Renewed fighting between SPLM-IO Kitgwang factions led by General Simon Gatwech and General Johnson Olony in Upper Nile State and northern Jonglei State have displaced tens of thousands since July.

General Gatwech Dual and his former comrade General Olony first defected from the SPLM-IO under Dr. Riek Machar before falling apart again in the middle of 2022.