South Sudan won’t let go of UPDF
South Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs says Uganda will not withdraw all its troops from the troubled country as stated in the peace agreement.
In provisions of the new compromise deal, all foreign forces are required to leave the country within 45 days.
But the Spokesperson of the ministry, Mawen Makol says Uganda will maintain some of its UPDF troops in South Sudan as part of a bilateral agreement the two countries made.
“In the agreement of course the UPDF is supposed to leave after 45 days as mentioned but before that, there was a bilateral agreement between Uganda and South Sudan as far as the UPDF is concern to come here and do the other works which is to cut down the LRA, that thing stands there, it is not going anywhere,” said Makol.
Makol has told Juba-based Eye Radio that even if the UPDF were to leave within the 45 days given in the agreement, South Sudan would still hold on some of the troops to do the things that they have been doing before the war.
“And if they leave within that 45 days given in the agreement still we have to hold on some of them. So the Ugandans are correct and their troops will be here to do the things that they have been doing before the war.”
The UPDF was deployed in South Sudan in December 2013 after the conflict between the government and the opposition.
