Army warns IO against propaganda, denies reports it is mobilizing for war

JUBA – South Sudan’s army, the SSPDF, has warned the main armed opposition group against spreading what it says is a negative propaganda to perpetuate the ongoing clashes in Kajo-keji between SPLA-IO defectors and the opposition group, denying reports that parts of its forces are being mobilized for an all-out war.

Since September, fighting has been raging on in a Kajo-keji village where a joint training Centre between SPLA-IO and SSPDF is located. SPLA-IO spokesman Brigadier General William Gatjiath Deng and his deputy, Colonel Lam Paul Gabriel, have both been accusing the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces of waging attacks against it following the defection of General Moses Lokujo, a senior SPLA-IO officer who left Machar in September.

Other social media reports also have claimed that the army has been flying in forces from its Military Intelligence contingents previously stationed in the country’s Greater Upper Nile region  to reinforce its troops in Moroto where fighting is taking place.

Speaking to Sudans Post in an exclusive interview this morning, SSPDF spokesman, Brigadier General Santo Domic Chol, denied the reports, accusing the SPLA-IO of spreading negative propaganda warning that such move can jeopardize the environment of peace between the two main peace partners.

“This is just a fake news because the SSPDF as legitimate force of the government of the day  and in the spirit of peace, it can’t mobilize forces from different SSPDF formation to take them where SPLA-IO is for the purpose fleshing-out or  eliminating IO, that is completely untrue,” he said.

“I am not interested as an SSPDF spokesman to go on a negative propaganda against SPLA-IO and this is what I hope and wish from the SPLA-IO, not to go on this negative propaganda because SPLA-IO and SSPDF are not at war. We are in the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement,” Gen. Domic added.

The senior SSPDF official further said “reports circulating on social media that James Chol, who is known as D.D.R is now mobilizing SSPDF forces to eliminate the present SPLA-IO in the areas of Yei and Kejo-Keji. This is completely untrue and this is just negative propaganda being waged by native forces against peace in the republic of South Sudan.”

Parties working to resolve clashes

General Domic further said that the Joint Defense Board (JDB), a peace implementation mechanism comprising of the SSPDF, the SPLA-IO and other peace partners, was working to resolve the clashes which are now threatening to put the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement in limbo.

“Therefore, should there be any misunderstanding that is isolated among some individuals within the two forces, it is the Joint Defense Board which supposed to take a lead to resolve all these confusion.I hope, and know that the JDB is now in the process of trying to amicably solve the misunderstanding between the forces,” he said.