The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) announced in a press release yesterday that an article posted on the pro SPLM-IO website nyamile.com was false.

The article alleged that UNMISS was helping to defend positions of the SPLA-Juba faction, stating, “A reliable source revealed to Nyamilepedia that the United Nation Peace Keepers are setting up barber‪ wire fences around military garrisons in Nasir, Malakal, Ayod, Bentiu, Renk and other locations that anticipate attacks from the Opposition.”

“Multiple sources, reached by Nyamilepedia’s editorial team, reiterate that the UNMISS troops started to execute this technical plan on 26th September at the request of SPLA-Juba faction.”

The website continued saying, “A team of technical experts from Rwandan troops within UNMISS have been busy erecting these fences in Renk, Nasir, Bentiu and Malakal town as from 26th September 2014.”

In response the UN peacekeepers denied the allegations, noting that there are no Rwandan peacekeepers deployed in Renk, Nasir or Bentiu as claimed in the article.

“The Mission also deplores the growing tendency by individuals opposed to the efforts to restore peace in South Sudan to resort to malicious propaganda intended to exacerbate tensions and conflict,” reads the UNMISS press release.

Nyamilepedia responded in an article on their own website acknowledging, “a few of its reports may not be entirely accurate,” without formally making any retraction of the mentioned article. 

File photo: The head of the UN Mission in South Sudan Ellen Loej