South Sudan’s First Vice President Taban Deng Gai does not have troops in Central Equatoria State, a spokesman for the SPLA-IO forces allied to Riek Machar said.

The statement comes after Taban Deng vowed to integrate SPLA-IO forces into the SPLA faction led by Salva Kiir, saying there will be cantonment areas for the armed opposition forces in Equatoria set up next week.

Kiri Bennett, spokesman of the SPLA-IO forces in Central Equatoria, told Radio Tamazuj that the new First Vice President Taban Deng Gai is not in control of SPLA-IO forces in Central Equatoria.

“Our commander-in-chief is Dr. Riek Machar, all the SPLA-IO forces are under the command of Dr. Riek Machar, and not Taban Deng Gai,” said Bennett. “Taban Deng Gai is a man who surrendered himself to the government, and he doesn’t have even a single soldier," he added.

The opposition official pointed out that the SPLA-IO soldiers will never join cantonment areas designated by Taban Deng Gai. Bennett denied knowledge about 30 SPLA-IO soldiers from Maridi area who decided to join Kiir’s government.

Attack on fuel tankers

Separately, Kiri Bennett claimed that the SPLA-IO rebel group was responsible for the recent attack on two fuel tankers along the Juba-Nimule road.

The rebel official pointed out that the two tankers were supplying fuel to the government in Juba. Bennett denied reports that the armed opposition soldiers target civilians. He instead accused the government of killing innocent people in the name of bandits and unknown government in the Equatoria region.