Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) – South Sudanese rebels warned Thursday they would shoot down civilian aircraft in its strongholds to stop what it alleges as an ongoing surveillance by government forces to assassinate rebel military commanders.
Rebel military spokesperson, Brig.-Gen. Lul Koang, claimed the Sudan Peoples’ Liberation Army (SPLA-Opposition) intelligence operatives arrested a suspected “assassin” whose intention was to take down two top military leaders.
The claims could not be independently verified but the rebels, also known as the ‘White Army’ because its fighters sprayed white skin colouring, said a chartered aircraft and a Kenyan pilot were detained in the alleged assassination plot.
“Our operatives have been observing unusual and unauthorized movement of planes,” the rebels said in a statement.
The rebel commanders claim preliminary investigations show the assassins met with top government officials in Juba.
A Kenyan air charter Reg. N0. 5Y SAV Tiger, operated by Air Works K/LTD Tourism and Travel, was detained at an undisclosed destination.
The rebels said the plane’s Pilot, Philip Kipkoech Murgor, was in custody.
“The overall government’s plan is to eliminate the top political and military leadership,” Koang said in the statement.
“The Military Leadership takes this opportunity to strongly warn plane companies to desist from taking unauthorized chartered flights to all territories under our control since some of these dangerous ventures could be fatal,” the rebels warned.
South Sudanese President Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar, entered into an agreement on 9 May, to end more than six months of fierce fighting.
The agreement, signed in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, also called for monthly talks by both sides to tackle issues arising from the peace agreement.
Delegates from both sides were due to attend peace talks Thursday in Addis Ababa, to discuss detailed documents on the formation of an interim government.
Meanwhile, President Kiir and Machar are due to hold their second round of high-level talks shortly, being part of the peace agreement.
