Brig. Lul Ruai Koang, SPLA spokesperson said his government still doesn’t recognize the presence of SPLA-IO forces in Equatoria and Western Bahr el Ghazal.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, Lul stated that Juba city has already been demilitarized partially according to the singed security arrangements agreement.
Lul described opposition fighters that are still fighting the government in Equatoria and Western Bahr al Ghazal as bandits.
“The opposition has no presence in Bahr al Ghazal and Equatoria regions, those who are there are robbers along the roads,” said Lul.
Other government officials have made the same argument previously to justify attacks that SPLM-IO say violated the ceasefire.
“They are not part of SPLA-IO, they are just criminals. So we only recognise that they are in Upper Nile, their cantonment site will be there, they have no presence in the other areas,” he added.
The deputy head of SPLM-IO Advance Team in Juba Ramadan Hassan Baku previously warned over the government’s continuing refusal to not recognize their forces in Equatoria and Western Bahr el Ghazal, accusing the government of trying to create an army of Dinka and Nuer only.
South Sudan’s government and SPLM-IO rebels have a long-running dispute over whether the rebels turned ‘peace partners’ of the government may establish cantonment sites in the two mentioned regions.
File photo: Lul Ruai