S. Sudan rebels deny abducting aid workers in Pagak

July 12, 2017 (JUBA) – South Sudan’s armed opposition forces on Wednesday dismissed claims that they detained three aid workers working with the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) in Pagak.

A deputy rebel spokesperson, Col. Lam Paul, said their forces never abducted humanitarian workers as alleged.

“The SPLA-IO strongly refutes accusations made yesterday in the joint press release of Taban Deng Gai’s loyalists that our forces abducted and detained three UNICEF contractors in Pagak,” said Lam.

He added, “SPLA-IO under the leadership of Riek Machar Teny does not harass NGO [Non-Governmental Organizations] or UN staffs”.

Over the years, aid workers have been increasingly targeted in various conflict zones in the country, where at least 80 humanitarian workers have been killed since conflict began in December 2013.

The South Sudanese conflict started in mid-December 2013 when President Salva Kiir accused Machar of a coup attempt. Since then, tens of thousands of people been killed and over 2 million displaced.

(ST)