South Sudanese intelligence officials have reportedly arrested six Ethiopian rebels belonging to the Unity Patriot Front in the capital, Juba a deal involving the illegal gun allegedly used by a local militias group allied to the government leaked.
The leader of the Ethiopian Unity Patriot Front (EUPF), General Thowath Pal Chay has accused his rebel movement’s spokesperson, Colonel Pal Ojulu of allegedly being behind the group members’ detention in South Sudan.
The Ethiopian rebel group has been fighting the Addis Ababa government for a decade, until recently when its leader sealed a deal with government after mediations involving the Juba regime.
Ojulu, however, dismissed allegations made by the Ethiopian rebel group leader.
“I was not aware of arrest of his groups which he formed in Juba without the knowledge of South Sudan government and reports of arrests by South Sudan National Security Service,” he told Sudan Tribune Monday.
The EUPF spokesperson instead accused the EUPF chairman of having abandoned his forces and rushed to join the government of Ethiopia, without coordinating with the rebel leadership council.
According to Ojulu, the Ethiopian rebel group has bases in South Sudan and that they are supported by South Sudan government.
The rebel official, however, admitted that some members of the Ethiopian rebels group were arrested in Juba and they were found to have struck a deal with South Sudan government forces (SPLA).
“The reason behind the arrest of his group in Juba was because they were buying guns from the hungry Mathiang Anyor militias without the knowledge of South Sudan government,” he told Sudan Tribune.
Ojulu accused the EUPF leader of allegedly arming Anyuak youths from South Sudan with an “intention to fight the Ethiopia government which resulted in the arrest of members of their groups in Juba”.
South Sudanese security officials were unavailable for a comment on the matter.
(ST)
