South Sudan denies involvement in Sudanese conflict
November 14, 2023 (JUBA) – South Sudan vehemently denies any connection to the ongoing conflict in neighbouring Sudan, dismissing allegations prompted by the circulation of photos on social media showing individuals from South Sudan wearing the RSF uniform.
The South Sudanese government’s response comes in the wake of media reports suggesting the presence of South Sudanese fighters aligned with the RSF against the Sudanese military. However, there is no concrete evidence to substantiate these claims.
The photos of the South Sudanese armed men were released with a comment indicating that the South Sudanese combatants were deployed at the RSF sites in Khartoum Bahri. In another photo, it is written: “Soldiers of Salva Kiir, Tut Gatluak, and Stephen Buay are at the Sports City (in southern Khartoum).”
In response, the South Sudanese government characterized these reports as “baseless” and dismissed them as attempts to fuel tensions and undermine regional stability.
South Sudan’s Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister, James Pitia Morgan, asserted that President Salva Kiir has played a pivotal role in mediating the conflict in Sudan since its outbreak in mid-April 2023.
“These reports are the work of individuals who seek to exploit the situation for their interests, jeopardizing peace and stability in the region,” Minister Morgan stated. “President Kiir’s tireless efforts to bring about a peaceful resolution in Sudan stand as a testament to our unwavering commitment to stability in the region.”
Minister Morgan emphasized that President Kiir has consistently advocated for peace in Sudan, raising the issue at the United Nations General Assembly, the African Union, and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD). He reiterated that peace in Sudan is inextricably linked to peace in South Sudan and the wider region.
South Sudan and Sudan signed a non-aggression pact in 2012, prohibiting either country from hosting or supporting rebel groups seeking to overthrow the government of the other.
Observers and security experts have pointed out that rival factions in Sudan have resorted to recruiting foreign nationals into their ranks, seeking to bolster their military capabilities.
Some of these fighters include South Sudanese individuals who previously served in the Sudanese armed forces and opted to remain in Sudan after South Sudan’s secession in 2011. The outbreak of conflict in 2013 and 2016 dissuaded them from returning definitively.
However, when the conflict erupted with the RSF, they were forced to choose a side. Some returned to South Sudan, while others responded to a call by General Abdel Fattah Al Burhan, Chairman of the Transitional Sovereign Council and Commander-in-Chief of the Sudanese Armed Forces, to report to the nearest military barracks with their military identification numbers.
Others are civilians who were trapped in crossfire zones when the conflict erupted and were unable to escape. The exact number of these fighters remains unclear.
(ST)