The Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-North) has denied the presence of its forces in the South Sudanese territory, countering accusations made by the Khartoum government that Kiir’s government is still harbouring Sudanese insurgencies.

This comes after South Sudan’s Defense Minister Kuol Manyang said in a press statement that they asked Sudanese rebels to leave the country within 30 days, contrary to earlier denials that they host and support armed dissidents opposed to the Khartoum government.

Rebel spokesperson Arnu Ngutulu Lodi told Radio Tamazuj yesterday that the SPLM-North does not have forces in South Sudan.

“We are not in Juba, we do not have forces in Juba, and even our offices are not based in Juba,” said Arnu.” We are in the Nuba Mountains, within the Sudanese territory and Blue Nile, so this is what I want to confirm, any different thing being said is untrue,” he added.

Arnu pointed out that the SPLM-North movement’s top leaders recently visited Juba to discuss humanitarian issues with the South Sudanese government.

“The discussion was made public after they met the government of South Sudan because they discussed humanitarian issues, it was just a visit and they returned back, but we are not in South Sudan,” he explained.