S. Sudan's warring factions deny holding prisoners

JUBA, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- The South Sudanese government and the main rebel group on Thursday denied holding political detainees and prisoners of war after a 14-day deadline for release of detained persons elapsed last week.

According to the cessation of hostilities agreement signed between the government and several rebel groups in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa on Dec. 21 last year, all parties agreed to release political detainees and prisoners of war and hand them to the International Committee of the Red Cross within 14 days.

The agreement also called on the warring parties to surrender children enlisted or recruited in their ranks to the UN children's agency UNICEF in the stipulated period.

Presidential spokesman Ateny Wek Ateny said there are no political detainees or prisoners of war in the East African country after President Salva Kiir pardoned political detainees last year.

"We have no political detainees in the country. You cannot release someone that you have not arrested," Ateny said.

Lam Paul Gabriel, Sudan People's Liberation Army-In Opposition (SPLA-IO) deputy military spokesperson, said the rebel movement had been releasing prisoners because they don't have facilities to keep them.

However, Lam alleged that the government is still keeping several opposition figures in detention.

"It should be noted that the SPLA-IO has been constantly releasing political detainees whenever captured due to continued aggression from government that was putting their lives in danger," Lam said.

South Sudan has been embroiled in four years of conflict that has taken a devastating toll on the people, creating one of the fastest growing refugee crises in the world.

A peace deal signed in August 2015 between the rival leaders under UN pressure led to the establishment of a transitional unity government in April 2016, but was shattered by renewed fighting in July 2016. Enditem