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S. Sudan says to have restored key spot, accuses Khartoum of backing rebels

Xinhua, November 20, 2015 Adjust font size:

South Sudan army on Thursday said it restored a strategic area at the oil-rich unity state from rebels, accusing Khartoum of supporting the rebel group.

"The rebels attacked Nhialdiu area near Bentiu, capital of the unity state two days ago, but our forces have managed to repulse them and fully control the area," Philip Aguer, South Sudan army spokesman, told Xinhua over phone on Thursday.

In the meantime, Aguer accused Khartoum of supporting South Sudan's rebels in their attack against Nhialdiu area.

"Khartoum is still providing unlimited support for the rebel group of Machar," Aguer said.

He went on saying "we have evidences proofing that the forces, which attacked Nhialdiu, received training at training camps in the Sudanese capital Khartoum, and then, they were transported from Khartoum to Kharasana and Heglig areas on the border with South Sudan."

However, Khartoum denied the accusations, reiterating its keenness on stability of South Sudan.

"These are baseless accusations. We do not provide any support for any party in South Sudan," Brig. Ahmed Khalifa, Sudanese army spokesman, told Xinhua.

"Khartoum is keen on South Sudan stability and supports the efforts to achieve political settlement there," he noted.

On Tuesday, the rebels declared that they seized the strategic area of Nhialdiu in the oil-rich unity state in a fresh violation of the ceasefire deal signed by the two warring parties last August.

The move comes a few days after observers of the Inter-Governmental Authority for Development in Africa (IGAD) accused the rebel forces of violating the ceasefire at many areas in South Sudan.

The IGAD was scheduled to hold a ceremony in mid- November in South Sudan to mark the beginning of the transitional period in the new-born state, but the ceremony was first delayed to Nov. 19 and then to Nov. 23.

The two sides have recently declared their commitment to a comprehensive cease-fire that went into effect as of last Aug. 30 in accordance with a peace deal signed last August under the patronage the IGAD.

The two parties, however, have repeatedly accused each other of violating the cease-fire agreement which threatens to destroy the peace deal.

South Sudan was plunged into violence in December 2013, when fighting erupted between troops loyal to President Salva Kiir and defectors led by his former deputy Riek Machar. Endit