South Sudan’s two warring parties SSPDF and NAS traded accusations over fighting on Friday around Lasu Payam and Mitika areas in Yei River State.

NAS spokesman Suba Samuel Manase accused the government forces of attacking their positions in the state. He said in a statement today that they were attacked around Lasu Payam and Mitika areas.

The rebel official pointed out that the fighting continued for two days, adding that their forces fought back in self-defense and repulsed the attackers.

The spokesman claimed that they inflicted heavy losses on the government forces. He said that NAS troops killed at least 19 SSPDF soldiers in the clashes.

Separately, Suba accused the government forces of killing six civilians who were travelling from Yei to Lainya in retaliation to the defeat of SSPDF forces around Lainya and Loka areas on December 10.

For his part, SSPDF spokesman Lul Ruai Koang denied the allegations that they attacked NAS positions in Yei River State.

Lul told Radio Tamazuj that the rebels instead attacked their positions around Lasu on December 13.” They attacked us twice but we managed to repulse those attackers and they returned to the Democratic Republic of Congo,” he said.

However, the military official didn’t give further details about the casualties.  “It is not true that the NAS rebels killed 19 SSPDF soldiers, we are yet to receive a report from our field commanders,” Lul said.

Several armed groups, including those led by former military chief Paul Malong and General Thomas Cirilo are not part of the peace deal signed by President Salva Kiir and opposition groups in September 2018.