NAS condemns killing of two Ugandans in Yei River state
August 3, 2019 (YEI) – The National Salvation Front (NAS) leadership has dismissed as untrue reports that its forces killed two Ugandan nationals in Longamere, an area south on Yei town last week
In a statement released by its spokesperson, Suba Samuel Manase on Saturday, the holdout group denied media reports that were attributed to Yei River State governor, Emmanuel Adil Anthony in which he accused NAS forces of carrying out the attack.
The opposition group strongly condemned the incident which claimed the two lives.
“NAS categorically denounces the Governor’s utterances as they are devoid of any truth and are attempts by the regime to spread false news aimed at tarnishing the image of the National Salvation Front (NAS), with intention of lowering NAS human rights record to the regime standard,” said Manase.
“This unsubstantiated accusation further helped reveal the motive behind the lies than providing factual evidence,” he added.
The group claimed the area where the ambush took place has more than four armed groups, including Mathiang Anyoor, a militia faction with close links to the government of South Sudan.
The leadership of NAS, Manase said, has ordered its military command in the area to immediately launch an investigation into the incident and report the findings to the leadership.
“Further, NAS forces are ordered to search for and arrest the culprits of this heinous crime and bring them to justice if the culprits are found within NAS area of control,” he stressed.
The group, in the statement, reiterated its commitment to protect the lives, dignity and property of all people in South Sudan and vowed respect the principles of international humanitarian law.
NAS was one of the armed opposition groups that did not signed last year peace deal.
In May, South Sudan’s rival parties agreed on a six-month extension to implement next steps in the fragile peace agreement. The extension came after the main opposition group threatened to boycott formation of a unity government initially planned for May 12.
(ST)