The spokesperson of the SPLM-IO, Peter Gatkuoth accused the government led by President Salva Kiir of being behind the fighting in J1 on July 8th.
He also accused President Kiir’s government of to disavowing the peace agreement, and said that attempt to overthrow Riek Machar is illegal.
In an interview with Radio Tamazuj, Gatkuoth said the leadership of the SPLM-IO has proven that the incident of J1 in Juba on July 8th was a conspiracy with supervision of the government in an attempt to undermine the peace agreement. He accused the government of seeking to create a military confrontation.
Gatkuoth added that Machar’s compound was destroyed and is being hunted outside Juba. He stressed that Machar is committed to the implementation of the peace agreement.
Machar said in statement to al Baian newspaper that he is in contact with regional and international actors, and stressed that the coming hours will determine if war or peace will come, and called on the international community to not let the people of South Sudan down.
The Minister of Information and government spokesperson Michael Makuei said the decision to remove Machar was not from President Kiir but from the leaders of the SPLM-IO, whom Machar left behind in Juba when he decided to flee.
He pointed in a statement to al Baian newspaper that article 46 of the peace agreement stated the procedure to choose the First Vice President when the position is vacant was followed by the leaders of the SPLM-IO, and said that President Kiir could not reject their decision.
Makuei accused international actors of interfering with South Sudan’s internal affairs.