A leader of the Misseriya Arab tribe has claimed that South Sudanese rebels loyal to the former vice president Riek Machar have based themselves in Sudan’s West Kordofan State, echoing allegations already made by South Sudan’s government.

Several traditional leaders have expressed discontent about the presence of the defected forces in their territory. Speaking to Radio Tamazuj yesterday, Adam Abdurrahman, one of the Misseriya tribal leaders denounced the presence of opposition forces in West Kordofnan.

He also warned against possible clashes between the South Sudanese rebels and the local youths in case they come back again into the area. “We do not want our territory to be the launching point to attack the government positions in South Sudan,” he emphasized.

Abdurrahman further revealed that the forces that carried out the attack on the town of Bentiu in mid April were stationed in West Kordofan state before the attack.

He pointed out that the Misseriya lost hundreds of livestock since the start of crisis in South Sudan, besides the killing of dozens of Misseriya tribesmen in Bentiu in massacres carried out by the rebels.

Some members of the tribe typically herd cattle into northern Unity state annually, while others used to work at key trade towns such as Mayom and Bentiu. “We are victims of the ongoing war in South Sudan, especially the conflict in neighbouring Unity State,” explained Abdurrahman.