South Sudan’s NSS releases classified information on 2013, 2016 conflicts

JUBA – South Sudan’s National Security (NSS) has this morning released the classified information about the outbreak of violence in both 2013 and 2016, a day after President Salva Kiir directed the spy agency and a law firm to do so.

President Salva Kiir in a press conference on Monday at the ministry of cabinet affairs directed the National Security Service to release the declassified information about who started the deadly civil war that has killed around half a million people.

In the report, President Kiir said that First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny started the conflict by mobilizing ‘thousands’ of soldiers in Unity state before his dismissal from office as vice president in July 2013.

“By March 2013, Riek Machar had disclosed his ambition to replace President Kiir as Chairman of the SPLM and ultimately to become President of the nation,” part of the report reads.

“Throughout 2013, Riek Machar was planning and organising his forces in the regions in preparation for rebellion. This mobilisation is why within 48 hours of the outbreak of fighting on 15 December 2013, Riek Machar was coordinating and mobilising troops from Unity State in a bid to overthrow the Government of South Sudan,” the report added.

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