South Sudan government accuses North of training LRA rebels
By MACHEL AMOS
IN SUMMARY
The South has now threatened to close borders with its northern neighbour if hostilities do not cease
Monitor Correspondent
JUBA
South Sudan has accused the North of training the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebels in remote villages of the troubled Darfur region as tensions between the two countries continue.
Interior ministers said the rebels were being trained in order to “destabilise” Africa’s newest country through cross-border attacks. “They have a training camp at the border between Western Bhar el Ghazel and Darfur, where they are being trained and supplied,” Interior minister Alison Magaya said on Tuesday as he recounted recent incidents of violence from the brutal Ugandan group that remains on the run.
The LRA are said to have attacked the remote Raja village in Western Bhar el Ghazel State, looted property and then headed towards the troubled Central Africa Republic three weeks ago. “The North is firing up destabilisation in South Sudan,” said Mr Magaya at a news conference.
The minister said the 27 entry points along the disputed 2,040 kilometre border with Sudan would be reinforced with police in a bid to seal off the LRA. “We are also concerned about likely terror attacks because of a weak infrastructure. So we are taking it seriously and we are setting up an anti-terrorism unit,” said Mr Magaya.
“The LRA are being trained by Khartoum to hit two birds with one stone; they come and attack us in Western Equatoria and Western Bhar el Ghazel and then go and cause havoc in DRC,” Information minister Barnaba Marial Benjamin said.
The government chief whip in the national parliament, Atem Garang earlier said “South Sudan will shut the borders with Sudan if it does not change from hostility.” The LRA, primarily a Ugandan rebel group, has transformed into a transnational banditry army, terrorising civilians in various countries. LRA rebel leader Joseph Kony is wanted by the ICC to answer charges of abuse of human rights.
http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/-/688334/1245682/-/bimoilz/-/
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