February 4th 2019 (Nyamilepedia) – The rebel military of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA-IO) led by the country’s former First Vice-President, Dr. Riek Machar Teny, denied on Monday that its senior officers are in odds with Machar who is also its Commander-in-Chief.
These came following a report by the South Sudan News Agency that some military generals are opposed to the looming joint military operation by SPLA-IO and government troops against the National Salvation Front (NAS) led by Gen. Thomas Cirilo Swaka.
The agency went further to quote an unnamed military source as saying “the SPLM/A-IO has nothing with the NAS. Thomas Cirilo is fighting the same war we are fighting against the same dictatorial leadership of Salva Kiir. If Riek Machar thinks he can order us (the military leaders) to fight against the NAS, he is very wrong.
In a statement issued on Monday, the SPLA-IO Deputy Military Spokesman Col. Lam Paul Gabriel who is currently in Juba as part of SPLA-IO security team denied there is any differences between the military and Machar labelling the report as “negative” propaganda against the rebel military.
“There is a negative propaganda against the leadership of the SPLM/A IO published on SSNA (South Sudan News Agency). It stated that some high ranking officers of the SPLA IO have differences with Dr. Machar as their Commander in Chief,” he said in the statement he extended to the Nyamilepedia on Monday.
Lam further reaffirmed the rebel military’s unwavering support to the former First Vice President saying the “negative propaganda” is a wishful thinking that will not come true.
“The SPLA IO Commanders are disciplined and respectful officers who are loyal to their Commander in Chief and the course of the struggle that led to the signed Revitalized ARCSS,” he added.
He reiterated the group’s commitment to the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement signed in September by President Salva Kiir with opposition groups including Machar’s SPLM-IO.
