SSPDF denies rebel claim of setting ammunition store ablaze

JUBA – The South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) has dismissed, as untrue, claims by the holdout opposition National Salvation Front (NAS) that it was behind a fire at an SSPDF ammunition depot in Juba.

The NAS claimed in a statement on Monday that its “special forces” conducted a “special operation” inside the Giada military barrack, causing the fire. Previously, the SSPDF attributed the fire to rising temperatures.

The blaze erupted at midnight on Sunday, injuring at least eight people, including an infant and a pregnant woman who later miscarried. The fire also destroyed a significant amount of army ammunition.

Speaking at a breakfast organized by the Union of Journalists of South Sudan (UJOSS) on Tuesday, SSPDF spokesperson Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang refuted the NAS claims.

“The National Salvation Front does not have a presence around Juba, leave alone infiltrating it to come and attack our military installations,” Lul said during the event at Juba’s Crown Hotel.

“NAS force has never captured a single town since their rebellion rather than such claims that their ‘special forces’ conducted a reconnaissance mission in Juba, igniting an army ammunition store before making their getaway. Their claim is not true,” he added.

The breakfast meeting was organized by UJOSS to promote freedom of expression, access to information, and the right of media workers ahead of elections scheduled for December 2024.

Lul also stated that the army is working on reunifying the main rivals’ forces, a crucial step toward holding the elections.

The National Salvation Front, established in early 2017, is a rebel group fighting for a federal system of governance in South Sudan. It is led by former SPLA commander General Thomas Cirilo Swaka.