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Uganda’s People's Defense Forces (UPDF) has deployed more troops in South Sudan in addition to the commandos that secured Juba in the earlier deployment.
The dubbed Operation Mlinzi wa Kimya is an effort to support the government of South Sudan following rising tensions between President Salva Kiir and senior officers loyal to Riek Machar in a looming battle for power.
Tensions have been mounting in South Sudan after the government detained two ministers and several senior military officers allied with Riek Machar. One minister has since been released.
The arrests in Juba, coupled with deadly clashes around the northern town of Nasir, are threatening the 2018 peace deal that ended a five-year civil war between President Salva Kiir and Machar’s forces, a conflict that claimed nearly 400,000 lives.
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Gen Kainerugaba, who is also the Senior Presidential Advisor on Special Operations, noted any move against Kiir amounts to declaring war on Uganda.
"We the UPDF (Ugandan military) only recognise one President of South Sudan, H.E. Salva Kiir... Any move against him is a declaration of war against Uganda," he posted on X.
Gen Kainerugaba, who is also the Senior Presidential Advisor on Special Operations, noted any move against Kiir amounts to declaring war on Uganda.
"We the UPDF (Ugandan military) only recognise one President of South Sudan, H.E. Salva Kiir... Any move against him is a declaration of war against Uganda," he posted on X.
Ugandan troops were first deployed in South Sudan in 2013 after the outbreak of civil war triggered by the power struggle between Kiir and Machar.