Yiep Joseph
Africa-Press – South-Sudan. The government is at an advanced stage of clearing logistical issues to allow the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) to finish their journey to the DRC for the East African peacekeeping mission.
The army got stranded in Mundri, Western Equatoria, after it emerged that they lacked travel documents and other unrevealed logistical preparations to proceed to the neighbouring country for the deployment.
But according to South Sudan Peoples Defense Forces (SSPDF) spokesperson, Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai, the forces are still in Western Equatoria State due to a lack of immigration documents, although there are chances that they will soon leave.
Lul said that the government was processing the travel documents and bridging some logistical gaps for the forces to proceed to the assigned destination.
He added that after processing the necessary documents, the forces would be airlifted to Goma in eastern DR Congo.
“The day before yesterday, 500 out of 700 had received their travel documents, and the commander told me at the time that it could take another two days for all of them to get travel documents,” Lul said.
Lul said that since the documents were almost done, the forces might be expected to proceed to the Democratic Republic of the Congo early next week.
The military boss said the majority of the issues confronting the forces, including the military, would be ironed out as the administration worked to complete the mission.
According to some information on social media, it is claimed that some forces have already started to move towards the Democratic Republic of the Congo while some of the troops are still holed up in Mundri, Western Equatoria State.
However, Lul denied the claims, clarifying that the forces are still in Mundiri and whatever information is on social media is not true.
“No, that’s not right; they’re currently in Mundiri,” Lui clarified.
Fighting has been raging east of the DR. Congo as the M23 rebel group makes territorial advances, forcing tens of thousands of people from their homes.
The M23 gained notoriety in 2012 after seizing Goma, the country’s main eastern city, before being driven out and going to ground.
But it re-emerged late last year, claiming Kinshasa had failed to honour a pledge to integrate its fighters into the army, among other grievances.
Burundi and Kenya have sent their troops, and Uganda is expected to deploy its soldiers in the coming weeks.
South Sudan has sent its staffing officers ahead of its soldiers’ deployment.
Over 720 soldiers were flagged off by President Salva Kiir on December 28 as part of the East Africa regional forces expected to flash out elements of M23 in eastern DR Congo.
Source: The City Review South Sudan
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