South Sudan has marked Veterans Day with President Salva Kiir Mayardit paying tribute to the men and women who took part in the country’s long struggle for independence.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, August 18, President Kiir described the day as an occasion to remember South Sudanese who responded to the national call to fight for freedom and sacrificed their youth for the country.
The president said this year’s Veterans Day marks 71 years since the 1955 mutiny by soldiers of the Equatoria Corps in Torit, an event widely regarded in South Sudan’s history as the beginning of organised armed resistance against Sudanese rule.
“Today, we remember the sons and daughters of South Sudan who heeded the national call to fight for our freedom,” President Kiir said.
He urged South Sudanese to honour the sacrifices of the veterans by remaining united and committed to achieving stability, saying peace is essential for the country’s development.
President Kiir said national unity and stability remain the path towards peace and development, while wishing citizens a peaceful Veterans Day.
The Torit mutiny of 1955 is commonly cited as a significant turning point in South Sudan’s history and the beginning of decades of armed struggle that eventually culminated in independence in 2011.
President Kiir concluded his message by invoking God’s blessing on South Sudan and its people.
