By William Madouk
South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) has denied allegation of ferrying thousands of troops to Nasir, Upper Nile state, for disarmament and operation.
Army spokesperson, Maj Gen Lul Ruai Koang made the clarification after “fake news” peddlers took to social media with claims that the army’s movement along the river is for aggressive disarmament and operational drills.
“In the last four days, SSPDF command has learned with great dismay and disappointment at the level of propaganda, misinformation and disinformation being spread by anti-peace element in the country and diaspora on motive of SSPDF forces,” Maj. Gen. Lul said.
He added that the intended mission to Nasir was consistent with the army’s administrative normal tasks, as the SSPDF commander chose to relieve force online owing to ongoing confusion, sporadic attacks, overstaying, and physical confinement.
In response to calls to deploy the Necessary Unified Forces (NUF) rather than the SSPDF, Gen Lul stated that phase one has been completed, with the exception of NUF forces “without guns (with sticks)” due to a “hostile area such as Nasir town.”
“Once again, SSPDF would like to reassure members of the public in general and greater Nasir community in particular that there are no operational plan and orders to conduct disarmament exercise in the aforementioned areas,” Lul affirmed.
“On the same note, there are no operational plans and orders to deploy additional SSPDF forces at any other place apart from Nasir,”
Lul said that the soldiers’ movement to Nasir is solely for peaceful and administrative purposes.
He advised armed civilians who wish to oppose the army to disperse immediately in order to avoid bloodshed along the Nile and Sobat rivers, on which Riverine is moving.
“Failure to comply…., SSPDF reserves the right to respond with deadly force in self-defence once aggressed,” military spokesman stressed.