Lt. Gen. Asrat Denero, the new Chairperson Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring Mechanism [CTSAM-VM] - Courtesy

The ceasefire-monitoring body CTSAM-VM, discloses that the peace soldiers recalled to cantonment sites in anticipation of a graduation last month, have abandoned the camps after failing to graduate yet for another time.

The trainees had turned up in big number, after the Co-Chair of the Joint Defense Board revealed that more than 50,000 unified forces would graduate at the end of that month.

CTSAM-VM Chairperson Lt. General Asrat Denera Amad said the soldiers have already returned to their homes after having seen no sign of graduation.

“CTSAM-VM team have visited cantonment sites and training centers, and observed that many soldiers had come back in anticipation of graduation as earlier announced by the RTGoNU. However most of them have again returned to their home,” said General Denero.

The ceasefire observer disclosed that the setback was discovered during their visit to the sites as part of the implementation of the transitional tasks.

Last month, the Joint Defense Board, a body tasked with overseeing the training and graduation of the unified forces, announced they were working on a timetable for graduation of the forces in Bahr el Ghazal, Upper Nile and Equatoria region.

“We are working on that and also the leadership of JDB and JTAC to graduate the forces on the respective date (June),” JDB Co-chair Gen. Akol told Eye Radio.

The 2018 revitalized peace deal expects the unity government to graduate 83,000 unified forces drawn from the various parties to take charge of security during the ongoing transitional period.

Tens of thousands of forces have been assembled and trained at various cantonment sites and training centers across the country since 2020.

Dozens of trainees are reported to have died of starvation and sickness at the training sites as they awaited the graduation that never comes.

In a separate statement, General Asrat Denero expressed concerns over the continued series of violence in parts of the country.

Speaking at the CTSAM-VM meeting in Juba on Friday, Denero called on parties to the peace agreement to address the escalating violence.

“Violence against civilians and armed clashes between parties continue due to lack of strict control by the parties on their military personnel and armed groups under their control for lack of command control.”