The leader of SPLM/A-IO, the armed opposition in South Sudan, says that the general named to a US sanctions list recently was not in charge during the capture of Bentiu, when hundreds of people were massacred.

US officials named General Peter Gadet to a list of individual under US economic sanctions and travel bans, saying he had “blood on his hands” and had commanded the capture of Bentiu, the capital of Unity state.

But the opposition leader Riek Machar speaking to press in Addis Ababa on Monday said John Kerry, the US Secretary of State, made a mistake in naming the rebel general to the list.

“He is the Secretary of State of the most powerful nation on earth. In this matter he is wrong. They were also wrong in imposing sanction on Major General Peter Gadet on the issue that happened in Unity state so the Secretary of State can still be wrong.”

“Peter Gadet was not involved in the operations in Unity state when we captured Rubkona and Bentiu. He was at that time crossing the Nile, he was not in command. That was a different person but today we say that sanctions are on him, but on what basis?  Just because he is a famous general?”

Photo: Peter Gadet (Reuters)

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