SSPDF says it has no involvement in Kajo-Keji fighting

JUBA – South Sudan People’s Defense Forces has denied accusation by the SPLA-IO that it is involved in yesterday’s fighting which took place in Kajo-Keji between opposition forces and a former commander who switched allegiance to the SSPDF last month.

Yesterday, SPLA-IO spokesman Brigadier-General William Gatjiath Deng told Sudans Post that former opposition commander, General Moses Lokujo, who defected to the SSPDF on September 21, attacked their position in Kajo-keji with the help of the army.

However, army spokesman Major-General Lul Ruai Koang denied the accusation and said the South Sudan army is not involved in what he said is an internal fighting among rival SPLA-IO forces.

“The fighting that happened in Andijo and Kerwa and Moroto Unified Training Centre, we don’t have any hands in that fighting. It was the SPLA-IO alone who fought,” Lul said in an interview with Radio Tamazuj.

For the last two weeks, fighting have continued in a training centre in Kajo-Keji of Central Equatoria state where opposition forces are stationed for training of the unified forces provided for in teh revitalized peace agreement.

Due to what the international community has called a lack of political will to implement the security arrangements, the South Sudan army has not reported to training centres and cantonment sites where opposition forces are now being trained.