By Parach Mach
JUBA, South Sudan (AA) - At least 12 government soldiers have been arrested on suspicion of committing serious crimes, including rape, gang rape and looting of civilians during recent clashes in South Sudan's capital Juba.
Army spokesman Brig. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang told Anadolu Agency on Friday: "The army general command detained 12 soldiers due to rights abuses, including two who have committed crimes against their colleagues."
South Sudanese army has been accused of rights abuses over the last two years of civil war, but arrests are rare.
The country's Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) last week announced the establishment of a military court martial to try soldiers accused of committing crimes during the recent clashes between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and ex-rebels forces, also known as SPLA-IO, loyal to deposed Vice President Riek Machar.
The court is also meant to try those accused of looting civilian properties during and after the violence.
The spokesman said the accused would be taken for court martial proceedings once investigations are completed.
“The court has been set up, we made arrest of SPLA soldiers who have been accused of wrongdoing and we have started investigation,” he explained, adding that some of the accused are going to be presented before the military judge for trials.
According to the UN, more than 120 cases of sexual violence, including rapes and gang rapes against women and minors were reported during the renewed clashes, which have so far left more than 300 people dead and thousands displaced.
The actions are said to be committed by uniformed soldiers. The UN has urged all parties to sanction soldiers responsible for these abuses.
Since the renewed violence between Machar’s fighters and government troops, Machar has been in hiding. On Monday, Kiir replaced Machar as first vice president, a position he held in a unity government following his return to Juba, with another senior opposition figure, Taban Deng Gai, who was responsible for the peace negotiations.
South Sudan emerged from more than four decades of civil war at the cost of 2.5 million lives to gain independence from Sudan in July 2011. However, the country again slid into chaos, which has further killed tens of thousands of people and displaced more than two million from their homes when Kiir accused his then deputy Machar of plotting a coup.