Tut Gatluak, the Chairperson of the Transitional National Committee, and also Presidential Advisor on Security - Courtesy

The Presidential Advisor on Security Affairs, has repeated calls on armed groups fighting the government, to accept dialogue and join the peace process in the country.

Tut Gatluak Manime answered a question about the government plans to resolve the fallout with Stephen Buay, a new armed opposition leader in Unity State.

“We are calling upon all those who are carrying arms, inside and outside the country to join peace because peace is the best option. Anyone who is taking up arms, we as the government will dialogue with them to bring stability into the country,” he said.

Tut, who is also the head of the National Transitional Committee, appealed to holdout groups to join the peace wagon for South Sudan to have stability.

“This call is for everybody, we are open for dialogue with anyone carrying arms against the government. The President is calling on you and we are urging you to dialogue, as the best option for the sake of citizens of South Sudan.”

For nearly a month, government troops and the new armed opposition movement, South Sudan People’s Army, have been engaged in vicious cycle of attacks that have killed at least 100 people.

On 22nd July, the forces of former SSPDF commander Stephen Buay, allegedly carried out a hit-and-run attack on the headquarters of Mayom County Commissioner, killing him along with 11 others.

The following day, armed elements waylaid government convoy at the Warrap – Unity State border, killing 19 people.

This prompted the SSPDF to declare what it termed a “massive manhunt” to hold the culprits to account.

Army Spokesperson Major General Lul Ruai Koang said the SSPDF raided the positions of the armed opposition group, loyal to Stephen Buay Rolnyang in Mayom County, killing 65 of their fighters.

General Lul justified that the army carried out the attack “in exercise of our own mandate protecting territorial integrity of the republic, the citizens and their properties.”

However, Bilpam and J1 differed on the language of the matter.

Addressing the nation on the eve of Martyrs Day last month, President Salva Kiir appealed to the holdout groups to lay down their weapons, and embrace peace as the only way to honor the “men and women who died liberating the country.”

For his part, Gatluak said, for South Sudan to experience lasting peace, all those who did not sign the peace deal, should participate in the current peace process.

Several other hold out groups include the National Salvation Front of General Thomas Cirillo, South Sudan United Front of Paul Malong Awan, SPLM-IO Kitgwang of Simon Gatwech and Johnson Olony, and the Real SPLM of Pagan Amum.