East African regional ceasefire monitors (IGAD) have formally blamed the South Sudanese rebel group SPLM/A-IO for seizing a fuel barge at gunpoint from the UN Mission in South Sudan in Upper Nile and for forcibly detaining UN personnel.

Although the UN previously announced the successful release of the peacekeepers, they did not say that the rebels are still holding tens of thousands of litres of fuel belonging to the UN.

On 24 October, barges chartered by UNMISS left Malakal for Renk. There was a ‘pusher’ barge, an empty barge and a tanker carrying 55,000 litres of fuel. According to the ceasefire monitors, the barges chartered by UNMISS were carrying supplies from Malakal to Renk when they were taken captive at gunpoint by SPLM/A(IO) forces in Kaka on 26 October.

“18 UNMISS personnel and 13 local crew members were forcibly held captive in bad conditions by SPLM/A(IO) Forces until their release on 29 October and 1 November following UNMISS and MVM intervention. Large amounts of equipment and fuel were stolen by SPLM/A-IO Forces and not returned,” reads a new report by the monitors.

IGAD pointed out that UNMISS and other UN agencies, specifically WFP. regularly use barges on the Nile to transport bulk items. The barges were prtoectd by a roup of 16 peacekeepers commanded by an UNMISS Naval Officer and accompanied by 2 military liaison officers. They were all taken captive at gunpoint.

“Senior officers at the SPLM/A(IO) Headquarters at Tonga did not deny that this incident took place, and indeed assisted UNMISS in obtaining the release of the |UNMISS personnel and the barges. None of the equipment or fuel has been returned,” reads the incident report by the East African monitoring mission.

The ceasefire monitors concluded that the incident “constitutes a clear violation of the PCTSA [Permanent Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements] by SPLM/A(IO) Forces.”

IGAD says that such an action against the UN constitutes a serious violation of international humanitarian law.

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