South Sudanese militias opposed to the Juba government are still active preying on civilians and their properties in the areas bordering Abu Jubeiha Locality of South Kordofan, according to the commissioner of Manyo County of Upper Nile State.
Commissioner Al Tayeb Okeij Ajang in a statement to Radio Tamazuj from Manyo County claimed that militia have arrived in the region from the north.
These South Sudanese rebels were based in Sudan throughout much of the post-independence ‘cold war’ period because of the SPLA occupation of the west bank of the Nile, which limited their access to the core constituencies from which they recruited.
With the recent progress in implementation of the cooperation agreement between Sudan and South Sudan, the militia may now be under pressure to return to South Sudan either to carry on the struggle there, to reintegrate into the southern army, or to disperse.
According to Ajang, the militias that have recently arrived from South Kordofan carried out attacks on Atar West region of Fashoda County and plundered citizens’ cattle. He considered this development as a clear breach of the cooperation agreement.
The commissioner said that anti-government militias are still present in neighbouring Abu Jubeiha Locality of South Kordofan, reiterating Juba’s accusation that Sudanese authorities have embraced the militias.
He pointed out that border monitors should either come to the border to witness the incidents for themselves or provide a means of contact so that they can be reached to receive witness accounts and complaints.
Radio Tamazuj has previously independently confirmed the basing of South Sudanese militia in Abu Jubeiha area. Local sources in South Kordofan identified the men as ‘SPLM-DC’ forces, but the southern opposition party leader Lam Akol when contacted vehemently denied having any armed wing.