Pagak offensive

Pagak offensive
Part of South Sudanese Civil War
Most of the offensive took place in southern Latjoor (red), though other places such as Mathiang were also affected.
Date 1 July – 25 August 2017 (1 month, 3 weeks and 3 days) Location Northeastern Greater Upper Nile, South Sudan Result Partial government victory Territorial changes Pagak captured by SPLA, though surrounding areas remain unsafe or under rebel control
Belligerents
SPLM government SPLM-IO (Juba faction)[1] Rebel claims:  Uganda[2] JEM[3][4] SPLM-N[3][4]	SPLM-IO rebels loyal to Riek Machar
Commanders and leaders
Taban Deng Gai (First Vice President) Maj. Gen. Bol Ruach Rom[5] (Governor of Maiwut County) Gen. Justin Nhial Batoang[5] (6th Division commander) Brig. Gen. Mun Gach Thoch[6] (SPLM-IO Juba faction commander) Brig. Gen. Lual Dak Gatkek[6] (SPLM-IO Juba faction commander)	Maj. Gen. Khor Chuol Giet[4] (5th Division chief commander) Maj. Gen. James Ochan Puot[7][8] (Special Brigade Two commander) Maj. Gen. Peter Lim Bol[4] (Sector 4 deputy commander) Maj. Tut Rom [9] (Jotome County commissioner)
Units involved
SPLA Units loyal to Taban Deng Gai[1] 6th Division[5] Units from Paloch[1] UPDF (rebel claim)[2]	SPLM/A-IO 5th Division[4] Sector 4[4] Tiger Battalion[2] Special Brigade Two[7]
Strength
6,000 (rebel claim)[6]	Unknown
Casualties and losses
Heavy (rebel claim)[6]	Unknown
Tens of thousands displaced[10]

The Pagak offensive was a major military operation by the South Sudanese government during the South Sudanese Civil War with the aim of capturing the strategic town of Pagak and the wider Maiwut County from Riek Machar's SPLM-IO rebels. Since the civil war's beginning, Pagak had served as headquarters and stronghold for the rebels, and its loss was believed to possibly greatly weaken the insurgency. A large part of the government forces that took part in the offensive are members of the SPLM-IO (Juba faction), a break-away group from Machar's movement that is loyal to First Vice President Taban Deng Gai. Though pro-government forces managed to capture Pagak on 6 August, their attempts to secure the surrounding areas proved unsuccessful. As result, the SPLA-held corridor between Mathiang and Pagak remained unsafe.

History

Government offensive

According to rebel officials, the government offensive began around 1 July 2017,^[11] as SPLA soldiers and allied "Sudanese rebels" reportedly launched "surprise attacks" on positions of Machar loyalists in and around Mathiang and Guelguk, Longechuk County; the rebels claimed that these initial assaults and others in the surrounding countryside were easily repulsed. SPLM-IO military intelligence officer Khamis Mawwil threatened that "there will be a river of body bags if they think they can take over our areas in Upper Nile".^[4] The situation changed, however, as fighters loyal to Taban Deng Gai joined the operations against Machar's followers. By 10 July, these militiamen had captured Mathiang and numerous towns and villages in Longechuk County from the rebels.^[12] The fighting led the United Nations to evacuate at least 25 aid workers from the SPLA-IO stronghold of Pagak,^[11] while thousands of civilians were displaced^[13] and around 50,000 cut off from aid.^[12] Meanwhile, the government denied that it was conducting an offensive and said that it was still honoring its unilaterally declared ceasefire.^[11]

Despite repeated counter-attacks and heavy resistance, government troops continued to advance on the strategic town of Maiwut, center of Maiwut County, over the following weeks. Around 30,000 civilians fled the fighting and sook shelter at Pagak,^[14][15] while the government continued to deny that any offensive operations were taking place. A SPLA spokesman simply stated that "if Taban Deng’s forces are moving to Pagak it is their responsibility".^[16] The rebels also claimed that the Uganda People's Defence Force supported the government during the offensive with air strikes. ^[2]

On 27 July, the rebel-held town of Maiwut, near the border with Ethiopia, was eventually captured by SPLA troops, consisting mainly of forces loyal to Vice-President Taban Deng Gai. Maiwut is located along the supply route between the Ethiopian border and Mathiang.^[17][1][18] Only after this victory did the government admit that it had launched an offensive, though it was now framed as "self-defense" in order to prevent constant rebel attacks on government-held areas.^[19] With the fall of Maiwut, the SPLM-IO (Juba faction) called on refugees to return to their homes in Maiwut County,^[5] while the SPLA began to besiege nearby Pagak. The first attacks on the rebel stronghold failed,^[20] but as more and more SPLA troops arrived with heavy artillery, the situation of the besieged SPLM-IO garrison became untenable. The insurgents consequently retreated on late 6 August, allowing the government to occupy Pagak without resistance on the following day. Before their withdrawal, however, the Machar loyalists set fire to their military barracks and ammunition stores so that they would not fall into the hands of the SPLA.^[19][21][22] The government went on to say that its forces were welcomed by the residents of Pagak who had "been held hostage for almost four years since the conflict erupted" by the rebels; this was however denied by local aid workers, according to whom thousands fled the SPLA soldiers.^[10]

Rebel counter-offensive

On the same day of Pagak's fall, however, the rebels launched their own counter-offensive against Maiwut. Exploiting that most of the garrison had been moved to secure Pagak, the insurgents reportedly retook the town and captured much military equipment; the government however denied that Maiwut had fallen.^[23] According to the regional rebel commander Maj. Gen. Khor Chuol Giet, the rebels had effectively cut off the government forces at Pagak and the Ethiopian border.^[24]

As the rebels now in turn besieged the government forces in Pagak, they called on the SPLA soldiers to surrender, which they refused to do. Machar's fighters consequently began to attack the town.^[25] Between 11 and 15 August heavy fighting raged at the town, with the rebels repeatedly claiming that they had fully retaken it and that the government troops had been reduced to an holdout at the Ethiopian border crossing. The government denied these claims.^{[8][6][10][26][27][28]} On 22 August, Machar's SPLM-IO claimed that the government troops had fled into Ethiopia, where they had "barricaded themselves". In response, Governor Bol Ruach told the Sudan Tribune that "maybe they are talking of their own Pagak but the Pagak in which I talk to you is under the full control of the government since I came here."^[29] Regardless of who controlled Pagak, fighting in the countryside continued unabated, and prevented the distribution of humanitarian assistance by UN agencies to the civilian population.^[30]

By 25 August, a United Nations peacekeeping official confirmed that Pagak was fully under government control; nevertheless, heavy fighting continued in the surrounding areas with the corridor to Mathiang remaining unsafe.^[31] Meanwhile, Tut Rom, an "influential" follower of Machar and commissioner of Jotome County in Maiwut defected to Taban Deng Gai.^[9] On 30 August, the SPLA claimed that with Pagak under government control, the Palogue oil field was finally secure from rebel attacks.^[32]

References

1. "South Sudan army captures Ethiopia border town held by rebels". Africanews. 29 July 2017. Retrieved 3 August 2017.
2. "Ugandan air force carries out airstrikes on South Sudanese rebels positions in Upper Nile". South Sudan News Agency. 17 July 2017. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
3. "South Sudan deploys more troops to Upper Nile as fighting intensifies". South Sudan News Agency. 9 February 2017. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
4. "South Sudan rebels warn of "river of body bags" as fighting rages in Upper Nile". South Sudan News Agency. 6 July 2017. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
5. "SPLM-IO Taban faction calls on refugees return to Maiwut State". Sudan Tribune. 29 July 2017. Retrieved 16 August 2017.
6. "South Sudan rebels seize Pagak as government troops flee to Ethiopia". South Sudan News Agency. 12 August 2017. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
7. "Breaking News: Pagak is free, General Ochan Puot is calling upon civilians to return home". Africans Press. 14 August 2017. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
8. "Tension high as SPLA-IO threatens to attack government soldiers at Pagak bridge". South Sudan News Agency. 10 August 2017. Archived from the original on 17 August 2017. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
9. "Opposition figure, officers defect to FVP Taban faction". Sudan Tribune. 30 August 2017. Retrieved 3 September 2017.
10. Jason Patinkin (12 August 2017). "South Sudan Rebels Fight Back After Losing Headquarters". Voice of America. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
11. "Clashes near South Sudan rebel stronghold, aid workers evacuated". Reuters. 7 July 2017. Retrieved 3 August 2017.
12. "Government troops say advancing on rebel stronghold of Pagak". Radio Tamazuj. 10 July 2017. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
13. "Far too little to celebrate as South Sudan observes its independence". Africa Times. 9 July 2017. Retrieved 3 August 2017.
14. "More villagers flee as government troops advance on Pagak: official". Radio Tamazuj. 17 July 2017. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
15. "South Sudan rebels dismiss blockade of Pagak as "white propaganda"". South Sudan News Agency. 17 July 2017. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
16. "SPLA denies advancing on rebel stronghold of Pagak". Radio Tamazuj. 18 July 2017. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
17. "SPLM-IO Taban faction calls on refugees return to Maiwut State". Sudan Tribune. 28 July 2017. Retrieved 3 August 2017.
18. "Government troops capture Maiwut town after heavy clashes". Radio Tamazuj. 27 July 2017. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
19. "Rebel stronghold falls to government troops". Radio Tamazuj. 7 August 2017. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
20. "South Sudan rebels say repulsed government attack in Pagak". Radio Tamazuj. 31 July 2017. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
21. "Maiwut governor says preparing to go to Pagak as rebels driven from stronghold". Radio Tamazuj. 7 August 2017. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
22. "South Sudan Army Capture Rebel Headquarters Near Ethiopia". Voice of America. Associated Press. 7 August 2017. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
23. "South Sudan rebels claim recapture of Maiwut town". Radio Tamazuj. 8 August 2017. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
24. "South Sudan rebels recapture Maiwut, besiege Pagak". South Sudan News Agency. 7 August 2017. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
25. "Heavy fighting erupts in Pagak". South Sudan News Agency. 10 August 2017. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
26. "Clashes erupt in Pagak as rebels battle to retake main stronghold". Radio Tamazuj. 11 August 2017. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
27. "South Sudan's Rebels Recapture Pagak, Their Headquarters". Voice of America. Associated Press. 15 August 2017. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
28. "South Sudan rival forces give conflicting statements over Pagak's control". Sudan Tribune. 12 August 2017. Retrieved 16 August 2017.
29. "South Sudan army, rebels trade control over Pagak town". Sudan Tribune. 23 August 2017. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
30. "Insecurity disrupts aid delivery in Maban and Maiwut counties, says UN". Radio Tamazuj. 21 August 2017. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
31. "S. Sudan's SPLA controls Pagak but fighting continues in surrounding areas: UN". Sudan Tribune. 25 August 2017. Retrieved 3 September 2017.
32. "Government says oil installations secure after capture of Pagak". Radio Tamazuj. 31 August 2017. Retrieved 3 September 2017.