Col Philip Aguer, SPLA Spokesman.

The SPLA has accused the UN mission in the country of allowing its barges to be used by the SPLM in Opposition forces in Upper Nile State.

It says the barges are being used to transport military supplies and soldiers.

UNMISS says it is looking into the matter while the SPLM-IO has denied using the barges.

In a statement to reporters at the military headquarters in Juba on Thursday night, the SPLA spokesperson said the army accepted a request by UNMISS early this month, to use barges on the Nile River.

Col Phillip Aguer said the barges were to sail to Melut and return to Malakal. He said the UN barges instead delivered 40 drums of fuel to Kaka on Monday.

Col Aguer also said 90 SPLA soldiers in Wedkona then defected to the SPLM in Opposition on Tuesday, and used the barge to go to Kaka.

He said the UN mission in the country has not expressed condemnation of the act.

“These forces are fighting SPLA now, and the barge is involved and the UN has not even protested,” Col Aguer said.

The spokesperson of UNMISS, Ariane Quentier told Eye Radio that the United Nations is looking into the matter. But she declined to discuss the matter in details.

For its part, the SPLM in Opposition says it seized the barges on Wednesday on grounds that they were transporting SPLA security officers.

Deputy Military spokesman Dickson Gatluak has announced that his forces are investigating the officers.