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| Posted to the web on August 5, 2009 |
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August 4, 2009 (JUBA) –– The SPLA has accused SAF of being behind the fighting on Monday which left more than 180 people dead after clashes in Akobo county, Jonglei state, between Lou Nuer and Murle communities
The SPLA spokesman Major General Kuol Diem Kuol spoke to SRS from Juba on Tuesday.
[Kuol Diem Kuol]: “Before the civil war, the Jonglei area was well-known for cattle rustling incidents. The situation escalated when the Sudanese army armed the people in these areas with automatic weapons, including Kalashnikovs, RPGs and Doshkas. There are clear indications that SAF is behind all the problems in southern Sudan. We have information that helicopters belonging to SAF fly over Murle areas, and that some injured Murle people are being taken to hospital in El-Obeid. The National Congress Party is arming both communities. Riak Gai is arming the Lou Nuer and other elements are arming the Murle.”
SAF has dismissed the SPLA accusations.
SAF spokesman Lieutenant-colonel Abdul Sameei Haj Ahmed described the allegations by SPLA as “baseless” and “nonsense.”
[Abdul Sameei Haj Ahmed]: “These are incorrect and baseless accusations and the situation doesn’t exist on the ground. How can SAF arm militias in southern Sudan to create conflict? They always accuse SAF whenever they have problems in the south. I don’t know why they accuse us. Our army has nothing to do with what is happening in the south, this is nonsense.”
Lieutenant-colonel Abdul Sameei Haj Ahmed was speaking from Khartoum.
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