Juba, South Sudan
November 26, 2021—A veteran SPLA general has passed on at Juba IDP camp after suffering from short illness that was not well diagnosed.
According to sources from the Protection of Civilians Site in Juba, the deceased officer was identified as Gen. Michael Chot Lual Deng .
Deng, who hailed from Greater Akoba, died at night on Tuesday at the age of 73. His cousin Tut Lam confirmed to media.
Tut Lam says late General Deng had been battling what he calls chronic ulcers for quite some time before he succumbed to illness.
According to deceased’s cousin Lam, Late. Deng was the first SPLA commander who captured Nasir from Sudanese armed forces in 1989 during the era of Sudanese former President Jaafar Nimeri.
“This man was 73 years old, and he was a veteran soldier since the time of the former president of Sudan by then, Jaafar Nimeri where he served as a presidential guard,” Tut Lam said in a statement obtained by Nyamilepedia.
According to Lam, Gen. Deng rebelled in 1983 and joined the SPLA Division 104 and 105 in Bor of Jonglei together with Kerubino Kuanyin Bol in the rank of sergeant.
“Since that time he has been in SPLA since 2005. Till his death, he was a Bridger General.”, Lam emphasized.
“He was among soldiers who joined Kerubino Kuanyin and William Nyon Bany in 1983 in Ayod and rebelled against the Khartoum theocratic regime after the declaration of September law in 1983.” His family said.
According to Lam, Gen. Deng first defected from the Sudanese armed forces in 1973 and remained in the bush until the 1983 SPLM/A uprising began.
His relatives confirmed that Late. Deng is survived by three daughters and four sons.
