604 evacuated as gov’t dismisses Machar claims

ENTEBBE: The government yesterday denied claims by Riek Machar that Ugandan fighter jets had bombed mutinied forces loyal to him in Jonglei state.

State minister for International Affairs, Mr Okello Oryem described Machar’s allegations as “a bunch of lies”  intended to “drag and taint” Uganda’s image.

South Sudan plunged into turmoil after President Salvar Kiir accused Machar of attempting to carry out a coup.

Mr Machar told BBC on Saturday UPDF had bombed the Jonglei’s capital, Bor, backing the rival forces of President Salvar Kiir.

But Oryem insisted that UPDF is not militarily involved. “Let him not drag us into their problems. Uganda is not involved militarily. We are just evacuating our citizens. Let him not mislead the world. Uganda would only get involved under the hospice of the United Nations. We are a highly respected country and we cannot just deploy our troops to take sides,” he said.

Forces’s under Machar’s command shot at American aircrafts in Bor on Saturday and injured four soldiers who are now receiving treatment in Nairobi.  Machar’s forces could have mistaken the American planes for Ugandan.

At least 2,000 Ugandans are stranded in Jonglei State, the region that is worst hit by violence ever since fighting started seven days ago in South Sudan.

“We are trying to reinforce the evacuation effort right now. But it’s very risky to land in Jonglei because of the fighting,” the Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Mr Fred Opolot said.

UPDF said it had deployed “a small force” to secure Juba in order to evacuate thousands of Ugandans who stranded in the Capital and by Saturday, at least 604 people had been repatriated to back home by the UPDF.

The acting UPDF Air Force spokesperson, Capt Antony Tabaro, said yesterday they had evacuated 293 people on Friday and 311 on Saturday.

“During the day and night of Friday we rescued 150 and 143 people respectively and another group of 135 and 176 people was evacuated on Saturday using two C130,” Capt Tabaro said.

In the group rescued on Friday, there were 15 Chinese, 16 children and 96 percent of the evacuated were women, Capt. Kiconco said.

In summary

More than 500 people have been reported dead and about 800 wounded in the fracas which started last week on Monday after forces loyal to former Vice President Riek Machar, allegedly tried to overthrow Kiir’ government.