South Sudan rebel group denies involvement in Warrap attacks

JUBA — The South Sudan People’s Movement/Army (SSPM/A) has denied accusations by Warrap State Governor Bol Wek Agoth linking the group to recent cattle raids, as conflicting accounts from state authorities cast doubt over responsibility for a deadly attack in Gogrial East.

In a statement issued on Saturday, SSPM spokesperson Bush Akech Chol rejected allegations that the movement was responsible for attacks reported in Kongor, Lou and Gogrial East between March 25 and 26, describing the claims as “baseless and misleading.”

“The SSPM/A has no forces present in Mayom County, nor in Warrap State,” Chol said.

The denial follows a night raid on Pa-Nhom-Aker cattle camp in Gogrial East that left at least 24 people dead, including five children and a South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) officer, and 34 others injured.

Local authorities initially said the attackers were believed to have come from Mayom County in neighbouring Unity State, describing the assault as a cross-border raid carried out by heavily armed assailants who opened fire on civilians as they slept.

However, Governor Bol later attributed the violence to armed groups linked to the Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO), forces loyal to imprisoned First Vice President Riek Machar, and SSPM fighters under General Stephen Buay Rolnyang — a claim that differs from earlier accounts pointing to attackers originating from Unity State.

Chol dismissed the governor’s accusations, arguing it would be “illogical” for SSPM/A forces to cross from the Sudan border into Warrap, noting that Mayom County lies under the control of government forces, the SSPDF.

He further said the attacks occurred from within Warrap State itself, not along the border with Sudan, contradicting suggestions of external infiltration.

However, Warrap does not share a direct border with Sudan. It is bordered to the north by Abyei, a disputed territory claimed by South Sudan, Ruweng Administrative Area to the northeast, Unity State to the east, Lakes State to the south, Western Bahr el Ghazal to the southwest, and Northern Bahr el Ghazal to the northwest.

The SSPM/A, which describes itself as a national movement committed to political change, said it does not engage in cattle raiding or attacks on civilians and condemned the violence.

“We extend our condolences to the families of those who lost their precious lives,” Chol said.

The conflicting narratives highlight uncertainty over responsibility for the raid, which authorities say is part of a broader pattern of retaliatory cattle-related violence along the Warrap–Unity corridor.

State officials have deployed additional forces to Gogrial East as efforts continue to stabilize the area, though no independent verification of the attackers’ identity has been made.

Chol urged state authorities to verify information before issuing public statements, warning that unsubstantiated claims risk misleading citizens and undermining leadership credibility.

The governor has not publicly responded to the SSPM/A statement.