Gen. Malong forces threatening to launch operations along Bahr el Ghazal Highway,

March 13, 2022 — South Sudan’s former Chief of Staff, Gen. Paul Malong Awan, who has been leading an unsuccessful rebellion for the last five years, is threatening to launch operations along the Bahr el Ghazal highway and calls on civilians and NGOs to stay off using the highway until further notice.

In a press statement extended to Nyamilepedia, the South Sudan United Front/Army General Military Council met to discuss recent incidents between their forces and SSPDF in Western Equatoria and Bahr el Ghazal, and agreed to issue a warning to civilians, foreign truckers and NGOs to avoid using the highway with an immediate effect. 

“Due to tenacious military assaults by government forces on our positions in the areas of greater Bhar El Ghazal and Western Equatoria States, South Sudan United Front/Army General Military Council (GMC) is vividly compelled to issue an immediate warning to innocent civilians, foreign truckers and NGOs to avoid random movements in an aforementioned areas.” part of their statement reads. 

According to the deputy military spokesman of SSUF/A, Maj. Philip Deng Kuol Nguot, their forces were commanded to launch military operations to block movement of government forces along the Bahr el Ghazal highway. 

“As a result from the meeting of SSUF/A high command, our operation commanders in (sector one) are vividly directed to launch a fortificative military operations to block the movement of government forces who are searching for our military outposts in those locations and also emphatically cut their logistical procurements.” Maj. Philip Deng said. 

Deng said they call off the civilians and NGOS workers to avoid using the highway to avoid being caught in military confrontations between their forces and the SSPDF.

“In the same note as of above, we again take this moment to notify our beloved innocent civilians,  non-native truckers and drivers for our military engagements not to deliberately inflict them during such lamentable circumstances and stay alert to cease from moving with military vehicles, or carrying any military supplies.” SSUF/A say. 

It’s yet to be confirmed if Malong forces have any presence in Bahr el Ghazal region but the former Chief of Staff is one of the most famous military officers and a former governor of Northern Bahr el Ghazal state.

Gen. Malong is believed to be one of the main architects of the December 2013 and July 2016 conflicts; however, since he was deposed in May 2017, his popularity in the region has declined rapidly and his loyalists are either forced to flee the region or coerced into silence.