Unity state minister accuses SAF of deadly aerial bombardment

March 1, 2012 (BENTIU) – Five people were killed and ten wounded by the aerial bombardment of Unity state in South Sudan at 12.00pm on Wednesday by Khartoum’s forces, according to state officials.

South Sudan minister of information and cabinet’s spokesperson told reporters on Wednesday that Sudanese warplanes bombed Pan Akwac Boma of Nyeil Payam in Paryang County in northern Unity state. He said these locations are at 74 km from the border with the Sudan.

But the Sudan Armed Forces spokesperson, Al-Sawarmi Khalid, denied the accusation saying Khartoum’s army didn’t carry out any aerial attack inside the South Sudan.

Gideon Gatpan Thaor, Unity’s current caretaker minister of information and communication, Thursday accused the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) of attacking Panakuach payam [district] of Pariang county.

In February Khartoum and Juba signed non-aggression agreement in Addis Ababa, as part of the African Union efforts to broker negotiated settlements for the outstanding issues between the two countries.

On Wednesday afternoon war planes, Thaor said, entered South Sudanese airspace and bombed the civil population around Panakuach boma [sub-district] of Nyeil payam [district], the current proposed site of a UN refugee camp.

The state minister also described Khartoum’s accusation that Juba supported the rebels engaged in conflict with SAF at Jau on 10 February as “baseless propaganda”.

Thaor reiterated the South Sudanese foreign ministry’s commitment to lodging complaints with the AU and UN Security Council over Khartoum’s actions.

(ST)