The UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has denied accusations made in a statement released by the SPLA-IO faction allied to former first vice president and rebel leader Riek Machar that UNMISS facilitated government operations against the armed opposition group in Nasser area in South Sudan.
“The Mission unconditionally denies the false and misleading assertions made both in the statement and associated with misrepresentative photographs that have been shared through social media,” the UN Mission said in a statement seen by Radio Tamazuj.
The statement further said the photos depict a CTSAMM monitoring and verification team meeting with SPLA liaison officers in the context of their mandated work under the peace agreement in investigating violations of the ceasefire.
It added that UNMISS is bound by strict codes of impartiality in the exercise of its duties in South Sudan. “These standards stipulate that UNMISS operate without favour or bias towards any one group, fairly, transparently, and impartially, with the sole aim of achieving much-needed peace for all the people of South Sudan, regardless of affiliation” partly reads the statement.
The UN Mission pointed out that the United Nations is not a party to the ongoing conflict, and is in South Sudan to support the achievement of peace, noting that dangerous statements of this nature have the potential to incite backlash against the United Nations, while also discrediting the sacrifices of peacekeepers in South Sudan.
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