Necessary Unified Forces graduate at Wau Stadium. (Photo: Deng Dimo).

More than 300 peace soldiers at the Rambur center have deserted the training camp since September this year over lack of food and medicines.

The troops comprising Non-Commissioned Officers, soldiers, and senior officers are among the peace forces that graduated in Juba on August 30.

On several occasions, they have requested the Joint Defense Board to clarify the delay of their deployment as they go to bed without food.

However, one of them who only identified himself as Samuel, says they have gone for months without proper food and medical supplies.

He added that the peace soldiers are now surviving on cutting trees for charcoal and sell at a nearby market.

Samuel is appealing to the Joint Defense Board to send them food and medical supplies as they wait for their deployment.

“They told us that the graduation is completed, and you can now return to the training center waiting for deployment, some of our colleagues deserted because of the issue of food,” Samuel told Eye Radio from Rambur training center.

“The remaining people here now is 206 including our protection officers, that’s people remaining the rest deserted,

“According to the total that we collected from the JDB in the training center we are 509 but the 300 deserts then remained at 206 in the training center,

“We are waiting for the order by the JDB which is the deployment of the senior officers to the various states and the directorate.”

The National Transitional Committee, a body tasked with peace implementation, announced in August this year that it procured food items for the unified forces at various training centers.

Eye Radio’s attempts to get a comment from the Joint Defense Board was not immediately successful.

However, in his Christmas message, the Minister of Information, Michael Makuei said arrangements are underway to finalize the deployment of the first batch.

Chapter two of the revitalized peace agreement requires the cantonment, screening, and training of 83,000 Necessary Unified Forces to safeguard the peace deal.

According to the accord, unifying the forces will provide security guarantees for the transitional government of national unity, unlike in 2016 when the forces were divided.