South Sudan's Army Chief of Staff Paul Malong dismissed claims of an Egyptian military intervention in the fighting in his country, describing them as "baseless rumours."

 

Malong said in statement to El-Sharq El-Awsat (Middle East) newspaper on Sunday that the Egyptian intervention in South Sudan is limited to furthering a peace process and providing humanitarian aid. 

 

The military commander praised Egypt's role in the region, saying his country is eager to benefit from Egyptian military expertise by sending army officers to receive training in Cairo in the near future. 

 

Last month, South Sudan’s government denied Sudanese allegations that the Egyptian government had provided arms and ammunition to the South Sudanese army.

 

South Sudan descended into civil war in 2013 after President Salva Kiir, an ethnic Dinka, fired his deputy Riek Machar, a Nuer.

 

The ensuing violence has killed more than 10,000 people and displaced more than 2 million, many of whom have fled to neighbouring Uganda, Ethiopia, Kenya and Sudan.