The Government of South Sudan on Friday distanced itself from South Sudanese citizens allegedly arrested in Sudan while fighting on the side of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) against the Sudan Armed Forces.

The Sudanese army announced Thursday that they had captured 14 South Sudanese nationals who were fighting for the RSF following their recapture of the Radio and Television Corporation headquarters in Omdurman.

On 4 March, SAF released a video in which one Makwac Garang Chol Majok, 26, a South Sudanese national, was being interrogated and admitted to fighting for the RSF.

Reacting to the development, Information Minister Michael Makuei however clarified that the Government of South Sudan did not send any individual to fight in Sudan and that those who did did it of their own volition.

“For South Sudanese who happen to be there, it is not our duty. Of course, these people are not under our control and are people who might have decided to rebel against the government and fight with the other group or these are fortune seekers because these days you are paid to go and fight as a mercenary,” he said, adding: “So, we do not know what they (South Sudanese fighters in Sudan) are doing there and once the Sudanese government arrested them, then they should be tried according to the provision of that law.”

“We cannot go in to protect them because we did not authorize them to act like that,” Makuei added.

When asked if SAF’s capture of South Sudanese combatants would not lead to a diplomatic row, he said, that in the event a Sudanese citizen domiciled in South Sudan commits a crime, the Government of Sudan will not ask why they have been arrested.

“If a Sudanese commits an offense here now, will the Sudan government ask why we arrested them?” he asked, adding: “It will not cause any diplomatic row unless people want to cause it, but that is not an issue.”

In past interviews with South Sudanese rebel leaders, Gen. Paul Malong of the South Sudan United Front/Army and Gen. Stephen Buay Rolnyang of the South Sudan People’s Movement/Army (SSPM/A), both vehemently denied that their forces were actively fighting in Sudan.