By Kei Emmanuel Duku
The South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) has confirmed that approximately 11,500 former SPLA-IO combatants and organized forces have renounced rebellion to rejoin the Government under President Salva Kiir Mayardit.
The mass defection, which occurred over the weekend significantly boosts the government’s military strength and influence in parts of Jonglei State.
The monumental defection was confirmed in a press release issued by Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang, Director for Media & Press and SSPDF Spokesman on Saturday evening.
He said the SSPDF General Headquarters (GHQs-Bilpam) in Juba warmly applauded the “bold and heroic decision” taken by Maj. Gen. Peter Gatkek Tolchieck, who commanded SPLA-IO’s Brigade 1, Sector 3, in Nyirol County, Jonglei State.
Gen. Gatkek, along with 6,100 officers and other ranks, officially renounced their rebellion and switched allegiance to the Government/SSPDF. Maj. Gen. Tolchieck and his troops formally defected from the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army-In Opposition (SPLM/SPLA-IO), previously under the leadership of the detained First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar.
In a separate, but related, development, the army spokesperson also acknowledged the defection of Lt. Gen. Keer Kai Geu, who also declared his switch from SPLA-IO to the government.
Gen. Keer returned with 5,400 members of the organized forces, including the South Sudan National Police Service, Prison, and Wildlife Services. This group also included 300 personnel from the National Security Service’s Internal Security Bureau (NSS-ISB) under the command of Col. Malang Yol Rial.
The declarations were made from Pul-Turuk village, Pul Turuk Payam, Nyirol County, Jonglei State.
The SSPDF statement noted that the combined defections effectively allow the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) to regain indirect control over the strategic areas of Pading HGs of Nyirol County, Nyambor, and Riang.
Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang added that the SSPDF GHQs-Bilpam in Juba appreciated the “exemplary leadership and persuasive qualities” of James Bol Makuei, Commissioner of Nyirol County, for his role in successfully facilitating the return of the forces.
This mass defection comes amid ongoing efforts to fully implement the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS).
The SPLA-IO, formerly led by the detained First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar, is a key signatory to the peace deal. Defections of this scale represent a major challenge to the unity of opposition forces and simultaneously strengthen the Government’s military position.
The R-ARCSS mandates the unification of forces into a single national army, and defections such as these are viewed by the government as a step toward achieving military cohesion and stability, while the opposition views them as acts of betrayal. The involvement of personnel from various organized forces (Police, Prison, Wildlife, and NSS-ISB) indicates a broad shift of loyalty among security personnel in the region.
Efforts to reach the SPLA-IO for comment were not successful.