Jonglei State, South Sudan
November 29,2021—The Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition’s third infantry division based in Langkien town of the Jonglei State’s Nyirol County said it had arrested four of its senior military officers who were suspected of trying to defect on Wednesday.
The detained generals include the armed opposition outfit’s head of wounded heroes, Lt. Gen. Machar Puoch Nhial, Maj. Gen. Makuach Gatluak, Maj. Gen. Yian Thuar Kuny, and Col. Nyang Lony, respectively.
In a statement obtained by Nyamilepedia, Maj. Gen. Stephen Bang Kueybol, the acting head of the SPLA-IO’s third infantry division ordered the arrest of the officers on Wednesday evening saying they were ‘inciting violence’ as they allegedly tried to defect to the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF).
“These generals are our members but they want to defect. They have not yet done anything bad but they are inciting violence. So, as the commander in charge, it is my role to foster security, I cannot wait for them to start fighting.”, Gen. Bang said in a statement.
Gen. Bang said the detained senior SPLA-IO officers are being investigated pending expulsion from the county.
“We are investigating them for inciting violence and trying to defect while we are for peace. We are holding them because we want more people arrested. After the others are arrested, we will expel them to Juba so that they practice their politics there,” Gen. Bang added.
The SPLA-IO’S third Division communication officer, Khor Nyang Mabor, said Nyirol is peaceful despite last week ’s incident and called on the civil population to be calm.
He also called on other peace partners to abide by the peace agreement by not instigating defections.
“Such defections are orchestrated by our main peace partner led by the president (Salva Kiir) to delay the security arrangements because these people were planning to cause problems here and then escape to Waat,” Mabor said.
James Bol Makuey, the Nyirol County commissioner, said the county was calm despite the incident.
“As the commissioner, the arrest was reported to me, “Generally, the security situation is calm because these developments are taking place within the barracks. Civilians are not involved.”, James said.
