South Sudan army accuses rebels of abducting children

JUBA, Jan. 24 (Xinhua) -- The South Sudan military on Wednesday accused rebels linked to the country's former deputy president Riek Machar of abducting 10 children from a camp for displaced people, an accusation denied by a rebel spokesperson.

Lul Ruai Koang, spokesman for the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), told a news conference in Juba that the rebels, the Sudan People's Liberation Army-In Opposition (SPLA-IO), abducted three girls and seven boys at Diem-Zuber camp for internally displaced people in Lol state, in northwestern South Sudan.

He said the whereabouts of the captives are unknown and that the motive for their abduction remains unclear.

The rebels also killed one SPLA soldier and captured another during an attack in the neighboring town of Wau, Lul said.

"SPLA calls upon CTSAMM (Ceasefire Transitional Security Agreement Monitoring Mechanism) to secure speedy, unconditional release and ensure safe return of captured servicemen as well as all civilians abducted," Lul said.

Lul further accused the rebels of mobilizing and planning more attacks in northern and eastern parts of the country in violation of a cease-fire agreement they signed in late 2017.

"We call upon CTSAMM to immediately investigate the renewed violations and hold perpetrators accountable," he added.

Lam Paul Gabriel, SPLA-IO deputy military spokesperson, however, denied that the rebels abducted children and violated the truce.

He said that a group of 15 youths from Diem-Zuber camp voluntarily joined the rebel movement and they are being assessed by the commanders on the ground.

"A group of 15 youth joined us voluntarily recently but they were not abducted. We are still assessing their ages and if they are under 18, we are going to send them to school because we don't conscript children into our forces," Lam said.

The ceasefire agreement signed between the South Sudanese government and several rebel groups in December last year was brokered by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), an East African regional bloc.

The truce asked warring parties to stop military operations and keep forces in their bases while calling for the release of political detainees and child soldiers.

But it was broken the same day it came into effect, on Dec. 24, and both parties continue to blame each other for the continued violations.

IGAD, and Britain, the United States and Norway also accused both the government and the rebels of violating the truce.

According to the UN children's fund, UNICEF, about 16,000 children are associated with armed groups scattered throughout the east African nation.

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 crisis in the world.

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