October 3rd 2019 (Nyamilepedia) – South Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardit has met, this afternoon, defecting SPLA-IO commander, General Ochan Puot at the state house in Juba.
General Ochan who was the deputy SPLA-IO commander for the group’s fifth infantry division announced his defection to the government of President Salva Kiir Mayardit last month following fighting between SPLA-IO troops and armed civilians from Maiwut.
Ochan accused Machar’s main armed opposition group of carrying our killings against Gajaak section of the Nuer community’s Jikaany community.
“The President of the Republic, H.E. Salva Kiir Mayardit met with the politicians and Generals from Gajaak community led by Gen. James Ochan Pout in the State House, Juba,” said a statement issued by the presidency this afternoon.
“President Kiir welcomed Gajaak community elders and appreciated them for accepting peace in the country, adding that the war was between the government and rebels, but not between tribes,” the statement added.
The statement further quoted General Ochan as saying that he and his group “decided to join the government under the able leadership of His Excellency [President Salva Kiir] for peace and stability in the country.”
Ochan added, according to the statement, that the Gajaak community “have been misled for a long time by Dr. Riek Machar without any development in the area.”
