At least 11 Sudanese traders have been killed and another 170 are still missing in Unity State since fighting broke out last month between government loyalists and defected troops. The government and rebels have traded accusations over who is responsible for the killings.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj yesterday, the State Adviser for Security Affairs John Malok said about 11 traders were confirmed killed and other 170 taken to an unknown destination by the rebels following the capture of the state capital.
He accused the rebels of targeting the Sudanese traders in the State: “The rebels killed eight traders in Koch County and other three in Leer County and they also took 170 traders in Adok Bahr area to an unknown destination.”
For their part, the spokesman of the rebels, Lul Ruai Koang vehemently dismissed the claims and instead accused the government forces of killing innocent Sudanese traders in both Unity State and Malakal of Upper Nile State.
“It is they actually who killed the traders when they recaptured the towns of Bentiu and Malakal,” he said.
Ruai admitted, however, that some rebels in Unity State had surrendered, as claimed earlier by John Malok. But he downplayed the development, saying they did not join the ranks of the government forces but rather surrendered to the UNMISS base in Bentiu without guns and military attire.
He also accused the troops loyal to President Salva Kiir of violating the truce signed by the two parties in Addis Ababa on 23 January.
Photo: South Sudanese government troops in Bentiu soon after its recapture, 12 January 2014 (AP/Mackenzie Knowles-Courin)