File photo of First Lieutenant General Simon Gatwech Dual. Courtesy

SPLA-IO forces are reported to have clashed this morning at Magenis in Upper Nile state.

The clashes come days after SPLA-IO allied to Gen. Simon Gatwech and Gen. Johnson Olony removed Dr. Machar as the commander-in-chief of SPLA-IO in a declaration issued last week at Magenis.

Both sides have accused each other of starting the fight.

The spokesperson of SPLA-IO allied to Dr. Machar, Colonel Lam Paul Gabriel said in a press release on Saturday that their forces were attacked at 6:30 this morning by forces of Gen. Simon Gatwech Dual.

Col. Lam said that Gen. Simon Gatwech forces moved out of their trenches in Magenis and launched attacks against the SPLA-IO forces in Gezan.

“The enemy forces destroyed one 107mm while one tank T55 developed mechanical problem. Three freedom fighters were killed in action and 13 others sustained gunshot wounds,” Col Lam said.

The rival group of Gen. Gatwech Dual and Johnson Olony has also confirmed the fighting.

“The fighting lasted for one hour but our soldiers on the ground under the leadership of General Gatwech and General Johnson Olony managed to repulse these people and we chased them away,” Samuel Morris, the spokesperson of the Aguelek forces told Eye Radio from Magenis on Saturday morning.

“Up to now, our forces are still after them up to the area called Amot, they are heading to Wadakona.”

Morris said at least 34 soldiers have been killed from both sides.

“We captured four cars, one Tank 55, two land-cruisers with PKM, and another small car. We lost six soldiers and we found 28 dead from Machar’s side.”

Hostilities started this week after a group of military generals claimed to have ousted First Vice President Riek Machar as head of the SPLM-IO and commander in chief of the SPLA-IO.

Those top generals include former chief of staff General Simon Gatwech Dual, General Johnson Olony of Sector One Command and General Thomas Mabor Dhoal of Sector Three Command.

They declared First Lieutenant General Simon Gatwech Dual interim leader of the opposition.

On Thursday, an emergency meeting of the SPLM-IO in juba condemned the group and said they were consulting within the party over the crisis.

The SPLM/A-IO in Juba maintains that Dr. Riek Machar is still their leader, labeling those who have claimed to have ousted him as “peace spoilers.”