Opposition soldiers defect to SSPDF in Morobo County

The South Sudan People’s Defense Force (SSPDF) has received 49 opposition soldiers who defected in Morobo County, from the National Salvation Front (NAS) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in opposition (SPLA-IO).

By Awan Achiek

The South Sudan People’s Defense Force (SSPDF) has received 49 opposition soldiers who defected in Morobo County, from the National Salvation Front (NAS) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in opposition (SPLA-IO).

This came following the signing of a peace deal between opposition soldiers, and the government on 17 September 2024 in Bazi, near the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Captain Likambo Stephen Remo, a leading figure of the group on Sunday officially announced the shift, revealing that approximately 49 soldiers had joined the rank and file of the SSPDF.

“If we continue fighting then our country will never develop and our children who are the future leaders of this country will never go to school,” Stephen said.

He called on the remaining opposition officers to join the government in order to restore peace and stability in the restive counties of Morobo and Yei.

“I am appealing to the rest of our colleagues who are still behind to return home. This government is our government and President Salva Kiir is our father and who are we to fight with our father,” Stephen said.

For his part, Maj Gen John Lual Tong, SSPDF Area Commander for Greater Yei welcomed the group, describing their defection as a positive step to restore peace and stability in the area.

“Our brothers who were fighting us have started to return, and this is a very important step, we had mobilization with people fighting us and as you can see they are behind me,” Lual said.

He said that the total number of opposition officers who showed intent to defect is 190 out of which 49 arrived and others are still on the way coming.

“There were a lot of people. There were 190 of them who reported and 49 of them are with me now and the rest are coming. The number is increasing,” he said.

The NAS armed formed in March 2017 is led by Gen. Thomas Cirilo Swaka, the former SSPDF deputy chief of staff for logistics.

 NAS has been actively fighting the government particularly within Central Equatoria State.

The group refused to sign the 2018 revitalized peace agreement to end years of conflict in the country.

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