South Sudan government demands unconditional release of detainees

World
Europe

The South Sudanese government has demanded that rebel forces unconditionally release 14 people that were abducted last week.

The forces loyal to former first vice president Riek Machar in a statement confirmed that they had the 14 in detention, saying they were government soldiers.

The government however disputed that, saying most of them are civilians.

“We have just 4 people among these people who are commissioner and mayor with their bodyguards only, so the rest are all community youth. They came to us and took our people in the area for negotiation in Akobo,” Information Minister for Akobo State Peter Makuach said.

The state government said the opposition forces loyal to Riek Machar knew of the peace efforts in the area, and were supposed to be part of the meeting. It claims that instead opposition troops arrested the peace messengers.

South Sudan has been dogged by conflict since December 2013 when President Salva Kiir accused his then-deputy Riek Machar of plotting to overthrow his government. Machar denied the allegations but then went on to mobilize a rebel force to fight the government.

Tens of thousands have been killed in the war that has also displaced millions from their homes.

Machar is currently holed up in South Africa where he went to seek medical treatment last year, but has not been able to fly back into his country since.