The National Salvation Front (NAS) led by General Thomas Cirillo Swaka has denied allegations that its forces attacked a refugee camp in Central Equatoria State’s Yei River County and carried out multiple ambushes on the Juba-Nimule highway.

On Monday, Yei River County commissioner Aggrey Cyrus Kanyikwa fingered NAS for attacking the Nyori Refugee Camp Yei River County, abducting refugees, looting drugs, and torching an ambulance and a health facility. 

Relatedly, the SSPDF spokesperson, Major General Lul Ruai Koang, over the weekend also said NAS was culpable for various ambushes on the Juba-Nimule highway including one which led to the demise of five travelers including two catholic nuns last week.

However, NAS spokesperson, Suba Samuel Manase, in a press release on Tuesday refuted the allegations against the rebel outfit and referred to them as unfounded malicious allegations. 

“The Leadership of National Salvation Front (NAS) came across two malicious allegations against NAS by agents of the regime in Juba. The Spokesperson of South Sudan People's Defense Force (SSPDF), Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai accused NAS forces of carrying out the latest attack on Juba-Nimule road involving Kenyan truck drivers,” Suba said. “The other allegation was made by the Commissioner of Yei River County, Aggrey Cyrus Kinyikwa; again accusing NAS forces of carrying out an attack in Nyori Refugee Camp in Lasu Payam, Yei County on 22 August 2021.”

He added: “The Leadership of NAS refutes these two baseless and unfounded accusations and strongly condemns these Juba regime's agents and peddlers of lies for their futile attempt to mislead the people of South Sudan and members of the International Community with false information.”

Suba said the leadership of NAS would like to inform the people of South Sudan that NAS is a people-centered and national movement and has a political agenda and a clear vision and mission. 

“NAS categorically rejects any involvement in the Juba-Nimule road attack. NAS unequivocally assures the people of South Sudan and the International Community that we do not have a presence in Juba-Nimule road,” Suba wrote. 

He said it is wrong to blame NAS simply because it is not a signatory to the peace agreement and that there are many different armed groups and “armed tribal groups and state-sponsored criminal gangs in the country”.

“NAS Leadership equally strongly denies participating in the attack at the refugee camp in Nyori, Lasu Payam. NAS forces under Yei Area Command have been operating in Yei County and the surrounding areas for the last four (4) years,” the statement said. “NAS command is aware of the presence of this camp and has neither attacked nor hindered the humanitarian operations and services targeting the welfare of the refugees in the camp all this time.”

According to Suba, just like the citizens of Yei, the refugees suffer continuous episodes of looting, beatings, and rape, from the SSPDF. 

“Unfortunately Mr. Aggrey Cyrus Kanyikwa in his capacity as Commissioner of Yei River County and a nominal Chairman of County Security Committee chose to bury his head in the sand and cover up the atrocities being committed by regime's aggressors against his people in the county instead of reporting accurately on the plight of his people suffering from these unabated brutalities of SSPDF and their allied militia,” the statement said.

NAS claims that the attack on the refugee camp was the handiwork of the SSPDF detachment based in Nyori. 

“According to the NAS intelligence on the ground and other sources, some of the looted drugs from the health center were seen being sold in Nyori Market. Why can't those persons selling the looted drugs not be arrested for questioning if at all there is any semblance of commitment to law and order in the country? Suba asked. “The people of South Sudan and the International Community cannot be continuously fed lies as they are no strangers to the SSPDF's culture of looting which was showcased in broad daylight in the capital Juba, during the infamous incidences of 2016, when the SSPDF went on a looting spree.”