South Sudan’s president, Salva Kiir Mayardit, has rejected a call by Sudanese authorities demanding the expulsion of Sudanese citizens legally residing in South Sudan.

Addressing the public in a graduation ceremony of the first batch of passport and immigration police officers at Juba football stadium this week, Kiir revealed that the process of normalization of relations with Sudan is going slowly, despite the agreements signed between the two countries.

He disclosed that he met with a high-level delegation from Sudan, headed by Sudanese foreign minister, Ali Karti, last Friday but that he was given no official message from Bashir regarding elements of Juba’s government supporting Sudanese rebel group, the Sudan Revolutionary Front. Instead, he claimed that verbal remarks were made on the subject.

However, president Kiir dismissed these allegations outright, adding that the claim is baseless, as are allegations that Sudanese traders working in South Sudan are supporting rebels in the battlefield.

Kiir further claimed that Khartoum wants to hold South Sudan responsible for its internal war and asked the Juba government to expel all Sudanese businessmen but Kiir rejected the request given that the traders have not committed an offence.

“There is no justification on these allegations; we are not the one who gave them weapons. They took the weapons from Sudan Armed Forces so the issue is an internal issue. We are not part of it,” President Kiir reiterated.

Following negotiations and the introduction of a cooperation agreement in March, both parties claimed that they do not support proxy rebel groups in the other country.