Deployment of troops at the border between Abyei and Warrap State has been long overdue

The South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) has deployed a brigade at the border separating Abyei Administrative Area and neighboring Warrap State.

The deployment has been long overdue due to the long-running conflict between these two communities over land at their border.

Several people have died over the years in clashes between these two communities who speak the same language, Dinka.

In early February this year, about 23 people were killed in violence between the two sides, prompting the transitional unity government to mull deploying forces to act as buffer zone.

The spokesperson of the SSPDF confirmed to this newspaper on Friday, that a brigade has been deployed at the border point. We hope that this deployment will reap results and not inflame the conflict by taking sides, as in the past when some rogue soldiers were cited to have done so.

Some soldiers in South Sudan do not behave like professional soldiers, as some of them have been implicated in heinous crimes when they favour certain communities against others.

The Ngok Dinka-Twic Mayardit conflict poses serious security threats to this country, and therefore, the soldiers should take on their role of protecting civilians and their properties seriously.