South Sudan rebels deny involvement in Abyei attack

JUBA, January 5^th 2023 (Sudans Post) – The rebel South Sudan People’s Movement/Army (SSPM/A) led by General Stephen Buay Rolnyang has denied that it was involvement in the attack on Rumamer of southern Abyei in which at several civilians were killed or injured.

The United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) said in a statement on Tuesday that a force of 200-armed youth from neighboring Warrap and Unity states attacked civilians in Rumamer killing at least 13 and wounding five.

But in a message sent to the SSPDF force commander and obtained by Sudans Post, Abyei Chief Administrator Kuol Deim Kuol claimed that the attack was carried out by Twic Dinka youth and SSPA rebels.

In reaction, the SSPA issued a statement denying involvement and condemned the attack and called the accusations as “wild”.

“This is the response to the wild accusations levelled against the SSPA by the Abyei administrative area that the SSPA participated in the recent attack on Rummamer on 2/1/2023. The SSPM/A has categorically denied any involvement in the Rummamer incident and condemned in the strongest possible terms the incident of Rummamer village,” the statement signed by Gen. Buay’s press secretary reads in part.

“The SSPM/A is the people and national movement formed to liberate the people of South Sudan from the dictatorial rule and we have nothing to do with the rampant inter-communal conflicts across the country,” it added.

It further asked “the Abyei administration to produce any tangible evidence that implicates the SSPA in the Rummamer incident.”