VP Abdelbaggi’s aide calls reports of Sudanese army deployment in Kiir Adem ‘propaganda’

JUBA – A top aide of South Sudan vice-president Hussein Abdelbaggi is denying social media reports that Sudanese armed forces are redeploying troops to South Sudan’s Kiir Adem (or Mile 14) following his last month’s trip to Sudan, calling the reports propaganda.

This week, social media users in South Sudan circulated reports that Abdelbaggi had agreed with the deputy chair of Sudan’s Sovereign Council, General Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, to have South Sudanese forces  taken away further from Kiir Adem and have the Sudanese forces redeployed in the area.

Some residents of Kiir Adem also told Sudans Post over the weekend that Sudanese forces were deploying in the area which has seen several killings by Arab nomads from Sudan’s Southern Darfur state.

Speaking to Sudans Post this afternoon, Stephen Lual, a senior member of the South Sudan Patriotic Movement, and close aide of the vice-president said the reports are untrue and that Abdelbaggi didn’t s discuss anything related to the disputed areas with Sudan.

“The meeting between vice-president Hussein Abdelbaggi and Sudanese authorities in Khartoum didn’t discuss anything related to the disputed areas,” Lual said.

“What is going on in the social media that the vice-president has authorized that Sudanese forces be deployed in the area is not true and a propaganda meant to incite sentiments against the government,” the senior opposition official said.