Hilde Johnson is hosted by Eye Radio - May 29 2013.

The UN Mission in South Sudan has denied government claims that it failed to condemn the looting of some of its equipment by rebel forces.

Earlier, the spokesperson of the government delegation in Addis Ababa, Michael Makuei Lueth, said rebels are using some vehicles they stole from UNMISS in Bor, Akobo and Bentiu to fight government troops.

Mr Makuei said that the government wanted UNMISS to condemn the looting by rebels.

“We want UNMISS to come out clearly to condemn whatever is happening there. In places like Bor, when they took over Bor, they decided to take all the vehicles of UNMISS and they are using them now for fighting in the field. This is unbecoming. We call upon the rebels to respect UNMISS properties because this peace institution is meant to save all of us,” Mr Makuei said.

However, the Spokesperson for UNMISS, Ariane Quentier, says that UNMISS has condemned the rebel forces for looting its premises.

She quoted the statement made by Hilde Johnson, the special representative of the UN Secretary General and the Head of the Mission in South Sudan.

“Ms Johnson, in a press release she issued, said: “This is unacceptable. I call on the leader of the anti-government forces, Riek Machar Teny, to instruct the forces under his command to stop this practice, to make sure that looted assets and goods, including vehicles, are immediately returned, and to respect the operation of the UN and our humanitarian partners,” Ms Quentier said.

However Ms Quentier denied the rebel forces had acquired military equipment from UN compounds during the looting.

“The rebels have been stealing twenty vehicles, they have been looting storage facilities and warehouses, but it is not true that they’ve acquired weapons and ammunition,” she said.