The South Sudanese army on Thursday called on the international rights body, Amnesty International to provide evidence of accusations labelled against the army, saying the report is meant to taint the army’s image ahead of the implementation of the peace deal signed last week.

Amnesty International in a new report published on Wednesday accused government troops of war crimes and human rights violations in Southern Liech’s counties of Leer and Mayendit between April and July this year.

The army’s spokesman Major General Lul Ruai Koang told Radio Tamazuj that the allegations are baseless and untrue and is a way to incite South Sudanese against the army.

“They are releasing this report right now to destroy the hope South Sudanese have right now after the peace was signed. They are trying to incite the people of Leer that the government is doing this and this. All these allegations are untrue.”

According to the report which documented the accounts of 100 displaced people, the witnesses said many people were killed by gun fire, but others were burned alive in their homes, hung from trees and rafters, or run over with armoured vehicles. Civilians were also hunted down and killed after fleeing into nearby swamps. Women, children, the elderly and people with disabilities were not spared.

Ruai further demanded that the rights body provide evidence to substantiate their claims.

“This is not a new report; it is an old report that has been released. If Amnesty International say these things are true, let them bring out the evidence that show for sure that our forces committed crimes, rape and that they burnt people alive, let them say who did what and which command they belong,” he implored.

Ruai said if provided with evidence, the army will investigate the matter and try those found guilty.  “Without that we cannot do anything. We cannot work with what we hear on social media,” he said.

Amnessty also blamed the government for failing to prosecute four individuals accused of being responsible for violations on areas in southern Unity region in 2016, leading to continued violations with impunity by its soldiers.

The four, according to the report, are accused of involvement in the crimes.