August 4th 2019 (Nyamilepedia) – A South Sudan’s holdout opposition group fighting the government of President Salva Kiir Mayardit has denied reports linking it to the murder of two Ugandan nationals in the country’s Yei River state.
There has been reports through the last week that two Ugandan nationals were taken hostage along with other unidentified South Sudanese citizens at a village in Mugwo county of Yei River state.
The governor of Yei, Emmanuel Adil Anthony, accused the holdout National Salvation Front (NAS) led by General Thomas Cirilo of being responsible for the kidnapping and the subsequent murder of the two foreigners and South Sudanese.
However, in a statement issued on Saturday, NAS spokesman, Suba Samuel Manase, denied the report media reports labeling it as attempt by the government in Juba to spread false information among the civil population to tarnish the image of the group.
“NAS categorically denounces the Governor’s utterances as they are devoid of any truth and are attempts by the regime to spread false news aimed at tarnishing the image of the National Salvation Front (NAS), with intention of lowering NAS human rights record to the regime standard,” the statement seen by the Nyamilepedia partly read.
“This unsubstantiated accusation further helped reveal the motive behind the lies than providing factual evidence,” the statement added.
The statement further argued that the area where the alleged kidnapping took place in under the control of militiamen allied to the government of President Salva Kiir Mayardiit in Juba suggesting that the perpetrators maybe linked to the government.
“Further, NAS forces are ordered to search for and arrest the culprits of this heinous crime and bring them to justice if the culprits are found within NAS area of control,” the statement said.
