The leadership of the National Salvation Front (NAS) has denied the hold-out group’s alleged involvement in recent attacks on the Juba-Nimule highway in South Sudan.
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Thomas Cirillo Swaka (Photo Reuters)
He denial comes in the wake of accusations labelled against the group by the country’s authorities.
“The leadership of NAS refutes these baseless and unfounded accusations and strongly condemns these Juba regime’s agents and peddlers of lies for their futile attempt to mislead the people of South Sudan and members of the international community with false accusations,” Suba Samuel Manase, the spokesperson for the hold-out group said in a statement extended to Sudan Tribune on Tuesday.
He accused the Juba regime of sponsoring criminal gangs terrorising civilians on Juba-Nimule road.
“NAS urges its members, people of South Sudan and members of the international community to be vigilant and not pay attention to the disinformation propaganda of the regime in Juba,” said Manase.
Meanwhile, the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) have warned Ugandans against travelling to South Sudan without the backing of the military or police.
The warning comes in the wake of several ambushes on the Juba-Nimule highway in which truck drivers and dozens of passengers have either been shot dead or injured.
The latest incident on Sunday saw unknown gunmen shoot at a convoy of three trucks on the same highway.
“That route is not safe for our people; the moment they reach Elegu Border, they should first ensure that the routes are secured,” Lt Hammed Hassan Kato from the UPDF 4th Division told Daily Monitor on Tuesday.
“Given the [war] situation in South Sudan, there are a lot of wrong people and groups right now there,” he added.
Kato said Ugandans should establish whether the South Sudanese army (SSPDF) have sent in forces to picket and secure the routes so that they can move in and out when they are safe enough with their goods and resources.
Sunday’s ambush on the Juba-Nimule highway comes barely a week after another ambush on the same road left at least five people, including two nuns, dead.
Source: Sudan Tribune