S. Sudan denies presence of illegal armed group linked to CAR attack
June 25, 2013 (JUBA) – South Sudan on Monday dismissed as untrue reports that a rebel group from its territory carried out an attack in Central Africa Republic (CAR), last month.
Ramtane Lamamra, the commissioner for peace and security at the African Union (AU) recently said an armed group from the new nation attacked bases of the AU-led regional task force and US special forces in CAR.
The attack, he said, caused tension in Bangui, the CAR capital, with the de facto CAR authorities agitating to forcefully deploy Seleka troops in area, accusing regional task force of failure to protect the population.
Seleka is a coalition of rebel groups that toppled the CAR president, Francois Bozize in March, this year.
However, the governor of South Sudan Western Equatoria state has denied claims that the attack in CAR was carried out by armed groups from South Sudan.
“Which armed group did the report say to have crossed into Central African Republic? In western Equatoria, we do not have [any] security report showing [the] presence of any illegal armed group in the area”, Joseph Bakosoro told reporters at Juba airport Tuesday.
He said the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), remains the only illegal armed group, which was a security challenge, but added that the group has since been contained.
“It [LRA] has now been pushed to bushes outside our territory”, he said.
The Western Equatoria governor further revealed that the regional task force, which comprises armies from the LRA-affected countries, had not given any report on an attack by armed groups from South Sudan.
Meanwhile, the governor of Western Bahr el Ghazal state also told Sudan Tribune he had no idea, which rebel group the AU envoy was referring to.
“We do not have such information. The African union should have clearly identified this group, know who they are instead of referring to them as armed group. As far I know because this is my area, there is no any armed group operating along the border with the central Africa republic”, said Rizik Zakariah Hassan.
The continental body, he said, should have first carried out an assessment prior to the releasing any information on the rebel group allegedly from South Sudan territory.
Phillip Aguer, the spokesperson for South Sudan army (SPLA) told Sudan Tribune his office had no information on the presence of any armed group along the common between CAR, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
“We do not have such information. There is no any armed group operating along the common border with the Central Africa Republic with the republic of South Sudan”, he said Monday.
(ST)