Africa-Press – South-Sudan. More than 4,000 military personnel from the South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA), a coalition of opposition groups, on Tuesday defected to the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) and other regular forces under President Salva Kiir.
The defectors include 2,380 forces trained and stationed at military fields in Pantit and Masenabiira in Greater Bahr el Ghazal and 2,280 from Tufagia and Alel in Greater Upper Nile.
Speaking at a press conference held in Juba on Tuesday, Maj. Gen. Samuel Mabor Mayen, commander of the defecting group, announced their defection from SSOA to SSPDF.
Gen. Mabor disclosed that they relinquished all duties previously assigned to them from both military and security mechanisms.
“We are hereby declaring our complete and ultimate disengagement from the South Sudan Opposition Alliance and its affiliated political organization. We renounce all duties previously assigned to us in military and security,” Gen. Mabor said.
He stated that they now operate under the command of President Salva Kiir Mayardit, the Commander-in-Chief of the SSPDF and all organized forces.
“We hereby warn the political leadership of SSOA not to attempt to politicize or contact the forces who graduated in 2020 on any organizational basis related to SSOA, and doing so would constitute a violation of military laws.”
For his part, David John Kumuri, spokesperson for the National Security Services, said they received 4,410 forces from SSOA.
“The National Security Service informs the public it has received additional SSOA forces after declaring allegiance and subsequent defection to the South Sudan government,” Kumuri said.
Kumuri said the force declared their complete withdrawal from SSOA and all affiliated political organizations.
“The service received the group, assured security and safety of their forces, and reiterated that other necessary security and military arrangements in respect to additional training and subsequent integration into the national army shall be expedited as soon as possible.”
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