Uganda, South Sudan relationship sour

Source:Sapa-AFP

Kampala - Uganda on Sunday rejected accusations that its military raided a village in southern Sudan in an attack that was initially blamed on Ugandan rebel group, the Lord's Resistance Army.

South Sudan Vice-President Riek Machar on June 30 told parliament that a probe had found the Ugandan army responsible for the June 14 raid and looting of Nyongwa village on June 14.

A man was abducted and found killed three days later.

Machar said the attack was carried out by Uganda People's Defence Force (UPDF) and not rebels as initially thought.

"It cannot be our army ... Our army is disciplined," Foreign Minister Sam Kutesa said in Kampala.

"Southern Sudan remains a restive area with so many small armed groups operating there. It is difficult to distinguish who are the Ugandan rebels and who are not."

Ugandan army Commander Aronda Nyakairima also rejected the allegations that have soured relations between Uganda and South Sudan authorities.

"We have been hearing these allegations through the press, but they are all false. What I know, what we suspect is that there could be a problem of identity between our forces and other armed groups operating there," he added.

Under a 2002 agreement, Khartoum has allowed Ugandan troops to pursue LRA rebels inside southern Sudan from where the insurgents have been carrying out attacks.