June 15th 2019 (Nyamilepedia) – South Sudan’s former army chief, turned rebel leader, General Paul Malong Awan is reportedly mobilizing troops in an apparent preparation for a full-blown war with the government in Juba.
This came after reports last week that secret talks between the government in Juba and Malong failed after the later reportedly asked the government to reopen the revitalized agreement for further negotiations.
Speaking to the Nyamilepedia on Friday, a civilian source based in Aweil said they received reports that Malong was carrying out recruitment in an area south of Kiir Adem.
“Malong is recruiting,” the source told the Nyamilepedia on the condition of anonymity. “The process is taking place in a small village near Kiir Adem north of whom are Arabs militias.”
He said chiefs were “asked by local authorities to talk to the youth in order to avoid joining Malong” pointing out that a peace agreement signed by the government and opposition groups.
South Sudan government and opposition groups in September last year signed a revitalized version of a 2015 peace agreement to end the ongoing 5-year-old civil war.
Malong is not a part of the agreement. He early said he was denied participation in the High-Level Revitalization Forum (HLRF) which gave birth to the revitalized peace deal.
