President Salva Kiir and Dr. Riek Machar shake hands in Juba on Sept. 9, 2019 | credit | Garang Abraham/Eye Radio

President Salva Kiir and opposition leader Dr. Riek Machar have summoned their field commanders over the recent clashes in Maiwut State.

On December 6, violent clashes erupted between SPLA soldiers and armed civilians near Jikou over supplies being transported to SPLA-IO forces by barge from Nassir to Jikou.

According to the revitalized peace agreement any form of hostility between forces during the interim period is a violation of the ceasefire agreement.

Following the clashes, President Kiir and  Dr. Machar who came to Juba last Tuesday summoned their filed commanders to explain why the clashes happened.

Manawa Peter, the SPLM-IO’s Deputy Head of Information said Kiir and Machar agreed to call the field commanders to Juba when they met with leaders of the security bodies on Friday.

“Regarding what is happening in Maiwut, the two principals agreed that the commanders in the field should be brought to Juba so they can handle the situation and give them orders to stop the fighting there,” Manawa told Eye Radio on Sunday.

Friday’s meeting focused on how to address challenges facing the security arrangements, and how to fund activities of the various mechanisms of the revitalized peace agreement.

He added that the two leaders will meet on Monday in a bid to break the deadlock over the number of states and their boundaries.

In November, the principals extended for the second time the pre-transitional period until February next year over uncompleted security arrangements and a disagreement on the number and boundaries of states.

The cabinet recently said the disagreement can be solved through a referendum, but Dr. Machar’s group argues that a referendum would mean further extension of the pre-transitional period.