South Sudanese rebels allied to former first vice president Riek Machar, have rubbished the statement made by government officials in Northern Liech state claiming that they had boosted security at the Tharjiath fields  in efforts to resume oil production.

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Friday, Weirial Pouk Baluang, the press secretary of the rebel-appointed governor of Liech (Unity) state, claimed that the opposition fighters are still controlling the Tharjiath and Male oil fields in the state.

On Thursday, Lam Tungwar, Minister of Information in Northern Liech State, said that his government agreed to protect the Unity fields to restart oil production as requested by the National Minister of Petroleum Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth during his recent visit to the state.

Photo: Security forces at oil fields in Unity State during the visit of the petroleum minister in January 2017/Facebook