South Sudan denies presence of Uganda troops in its territory

JUBA – South Sudanese officials on Tuesday denied the presence of Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) troops in the country, despite claims from Uganda’s army chief that a special force had been deployed to Juba to provide security to President Salva Kiir Mayardit amid escalating tensions.

South Sudan’s Information Minister Michael Makueth and Apuk Ayuel Mayen, spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry, both rejected reports of a Ugandan military deployment, contradicting claims made earlier by Ugandan army chief General Muhoozi Kainerugaba.

“Saying that because of the IGAD summit, they’re sending in forces to Juba, but these forces are not there,” Minister Makueth was quoted as saying by local media.

“Earlier, they had quoted Muhoozi saying these South Sudanese we are not sending any forces there because they are the ones responsible for their own crisis, though we will not be part of what is happening. Now they contradict themselves again and say that they are sending forces, where are these forces?” Makueth said.

Sudans Post also reached out to Apuk Ayuel Mayen, South Sudan’s foreign ministry spokesperson, for comment. She denied any knowledge of Ugandan forces arriving in the country.

“I’m not aware of this; I’ll look into it, and maybe you can speak with SSPDF about it. No comment on this at this time,” Ms. Ayuel said.

Gen. Kainerugaba had earlier stated on his X (formerly Twitter) account that UPDF Special Forces had been sent to provide security to President Kiir following heightened tensions in Juba and other parts of the country, including deadly clashes in Upper Nile State.

“We shall protect the entire territory of South Sudan like it was our own,” the Ugandan army chief wrote, posting a video of Ugandan soldiers disembarking from a plane at what he claimed was Juba International Airport. The authenticity of the footage could not be independently verified.

Uganda’s army spokesperson, Felix Kulaije, also confirmed the deployment in an interview with the French news agency AFP, saying the Special Forces had been sent to protect South Sudan’s government.

Sudans Post also attempted to contact Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang, spokesperson for the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF), but all efforts were unsuccessful. Gen. Koang did not respond to messages or return calls.

South Sudan has faced rising tensions in its capital, Juba, and rural areas, where government troops, opposition forces loyal to First Vice President Riek Machar, and militia groups such as the White Army have clashed in Nasir and Ulang counties in the northern state of Upper Nile.

The violence has led to the arrest of SPLM-IO ministers and military officials, following deadly clashes in Nasir that resulted in the deaths of more than 30 soldiers and their commander, Maj. Gen. David Majur Dak, on March 7.

Gen. Dak was killed while attempting to board a UN helicopter sent to evacuate him and his troops, who had been surrounded by armed youth from the White Army after clashes in the area.

The recent events are seen as a threat to the ongoing peace process between President Kiir’s government and Machar’s opposition group, the SPLM-IO, as well as other signatories to the 2018 Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCiSS), which ended five years of civil war that began in December 2013.