South Sudan’s armed opposition forces loyal to the former First Vice-President Riek Machar claimed the Juba government has allegedly started recruiting civilians and students living in refugee settlement camps in northern Uganda.

The deputy spokesperson for the armed opposition faction, Lam Paul claimed an official from the prime minister’s office intercepted 63 South Sudanese refugees being ferried from Uganda to South Sudan.

“If the government of Juba was able to prevent the Nuer students in protection of civilians’ camps from attending the examination, how can they transport refugees to do it yet they ran from danger?” he asked.

According to Lam, two more refugees were picked from Bidi-Bidi refugee camp, allegedly through the influence of Yei state governor.

The rebel official also appointed fingers at government forces allegedly carrying out several attacks on innocent civilians, claims Sudan Tribune could not substantiate.

“The SPLA-IO strongly condemns these criminal and cowardice acts by the Juba regime towards innocent civilians who preferred to stay in the country other than going to refugee camps. We call upon our civilians to be vigilant of militias and spies being recruited by the regime amid the ongoing lootings, rape and killings,” he said.

About a million refugees have arrived in Uganda since the crisis erupted in Juba in July 2016, leaving Uganda as the country putting up with the largest number of refugees in the continent.