At least one person was killed and two others injured in clashes involving rival Sudan People’s Liberation Army In Opposition (SPLA-IO) forces in Nasir County of Upper Nile state on Sunday. 

Duol Thien Kuon, the Nasir County commissioner, told Radio Tamazuj that clashes erupted when his guards were waylaid by the Kit-Gwang faction while patrolling the Kier area on Sunday morning.  

“I was there to settle a dispute involving people from my county and Lou Nuer in Kier area of Wanga-Ading Payam when our forces were attacked,” he said. “The Kit-Gwang was defeated and one person was killed from their side.”

Khor Nyang Mabor, the spokesperson for the SPLA-IO’s third infantry division, condemned the attack and he said the county is calm despite the incident. 

“The Kit-Gwang forces were pushed out from Kier so the area is now calm. They lost one officer and two others were injured,” he said.   

For his part, William Gatjath Deng, the Kit-Gwang military spokesperson, acknowledged clashes erupted Sunday and that their forces are in control of the area. 

“The clashes erupted at 7 am when our forces were attacked by SPLA-IO forces who came from Akobo and Nasir. Our forces managed to disperse them and we are now in control of the area. Of course, there were losses, that is normal in any fighting,” he said.