October 21st 2018 (Nyamilepedia) – The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) has slammed the National Salvation Front (NAS) rebel group led by Thomas Cirilo over what it called baseless and unfounded allegations against its forces.
The NAS on Sunday issued a statement accusing the SPLM-IO of planning to attack it’s bases in Central Equatoria’s Yei River State.
In a statement issued on Sunday evening, the SPLA-IO deputy spokesman Col. Lam Paul Gabriel said the accusations are baseless and unfounded aimed at covering up an apparent plan to attack the SPLM-IO positions.
“This is absolutely baseless and unfounded accusation made as a cover-up for their next systematic aggression against civilians in Yei River State,” Lam said in a statement seen by the Nyamilepedia.
He claimed that the NAS forces were crushed with some senior NAS military officials ended up dead and some fleeing to Uganda.
“NAS-TC was totally crushed and dismantled when they attacked our positions in Kajo-Keji County in October last year. Most of their conscripts and commanders lost their lives while the survivors had to run to Uganda for refuge. Currently, the remaining soldiers who are still tribally loyal to NAS-TC are centred in Mukaya, an area they use to launch ethnically targetted brutality on civilians in a cowardice aggression at Minyori where they killed about 17 civilians, wounded some and displaced many,” he said in the statement.
The statement further said NAS is not for peace as they have already rejected tof sign the revitalized agreement signed last month in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa.
“It should be noted that NAS-TC is against the R-ARCSS that’s why they are always negative to a peaceful environment and want to instigate violence to disrupt the implementation of the R-ARCSS,” the statement further said.
The statement claims that NAS is using the narations thay it is the legitimate movement for th Equatorians to gain popularity among the Equatorians ethnic groups.
“NAS also has the illusion that it is the only legitimate movement for Equatorians. On seeing that the Equatorians in the SPLM)A IO didn’t switch side to them, NAS is expressing its frustration by targeting civilians who are from the communities where SPLM//A IO either has stronghold or soldiers/commanders who hail from,” the statement said.
The statement further warned NAS to stop malicious activities that might derail peaceful co-existence between the rebel forces to avoid civilian casualties.
“SPLA IO is warning Thomas’ forces to maintain their location and have respect for the suffering civilians and avoid negative propaganda against the SPLA IO and its leadership,” the statement further.
The main armed opposition group further denied claims by South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA) this morning that it had been attacked by the SPLM-IO denying any existence of their forces in the area.
“Secondly, SSOA also wrote a press this morning the 21/10/2018, accusing the SPLA IO of attacking their forces in Kotkea on 20/10/2018. SSOA never had forces in Sobat area that we know of. The SPLA IO is only aware of the regime’s forces in Weiyardiw in Nasir. SSOA should stop negative propaganda against a peace partner and its leadership,” it added.
