South Sudan rebels deny holding POWs, political detainees

JUBA, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan's main rebel group, the Sudan People's Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO), on Wednesday denied holding prisoners of war (POWs) and political detainees in its ranks, amid reports that the rebels are still holding some prisoners.

The government and several rebel groups on Sept. 12 signed a new power-sharing deal aimed at ending the conflict that has devastated the world's youngest nation.

The pact demanded the parties to free all prisoners detained in relation to the conflict. South Sudan's national security service early this month said it had freed at least 20 detainees following the signing of the peace agreement.

Lam Paul Gabriel, SPLA-IO deputy military spokesperson, said his group has no prisoners to free since all persons detained by the SPLA-IO were released early this year.

"We don't have prisoners of war and political detainees. We were the first to release prisoners of war and political detainees when the cessation of hostilities agreement was signed last year, and we released all prisoners in January," Gabriel told Xinhua by phone.

South Sudan descended into civil war in late 2013, and the conflict has created one of the fastest growing refugee crises in the world.

The UN estimates that about 4 million South Sudanese have been displaced internally and externally. A peace deal signed in August 2015 collapsed in July 2016, following renewed violence in the capital, Juba.