At least 2,434 forces from the South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA) in Greater Equatoria have defected to the government on Friday.
The troops, who were part of the unified forces trained at seven key centres – Lologo, Rajaf, Awenjobol, Muni, Agot Makur, Maridi, and Rambur – graduated on August 30, 2022, during Phase One of South Sudan’s security sector unification process.
Speaking to the media, Brig Gen Ibrahim Samir David, spokesperson and commander of the defected SSOA forces in Greater Equatoria, confirmed the group’s full commitment to the government.
“We renounce all duties previously assigned to us under the SSOA. We now serve under the full command and control of the Commander-in-Chief and respective command structures of the organised forces, as mandated by law,” Brig. Gen. Ibrahim said.
Ibrahim urged other opposition-aligned forces in Upper Nile and Bahr el Ghazal regions to abandon their holdout positions and integrate into the national armed forces, in accordance with the peace agreement and the oath they took during graduation.
Meanwhile, National Security Service spokesperson David John Kumuri welcomed the move and described it as a strong message of national unity and peace.
“This significant development shows the determination of the people of South Sudan to prioritise peace and unity over conflict,” Kumuri said. “It’s a strong indication that war is no longer a viable path forward.”
The defections come at a time when South Sudan is at a crisis of implementing the 2018 revitalised peace agreement, which calls for the integration of former opposition forces into a single, professional national army.
The breakdown of the 2,434 SSOA defected forces are as follows:
- South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) 105 Officers, NCOs, and Soldiers
- South Sudan National Police Service (SSNPS) 650 Officers, NCOs, and Soldiers;
- National Security Service (NSS), 105 Officers, NCOs, and Soldiers;
- National Prison Service (NPS), 668 Officers, NCOs, and Soldiers;
- National Wildlife Service (NWS), 400 Officers, NCOs, and Soldiers;
- National Fire Brigade Service (NFBS), 506 Officers, NCOs, and Soldiers.
