Red Belt leader Leek Mamer Leek (center) – courtesy image

The commissioner of Bor County in Jonglei State has confirmed that the leader of the Red Belt vigilante group has been transferred to Juba by the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces after surrendering to the army on Sunday.

Speaking to Eye Radio this morning, Commissioner Samuel Ateny Pech said Leek Mamer Leek was transferred from Bor to Juba yesterday under the custody of the SSPDF.

The transfer follows an announcement by the commissioner during a church service on New Year’s Day, in which he said Leek and members of his group had been pardoned.

Confirming Leek’s arrival in the capital, Ateny said the Red Belt leader is currently at the SSPDF headquarters in Juba.

However, he said it remains unclear whether Leek surrendered in response to the pardon or an earlier call by the Chief of Defence Forces ordering the group to surrender.

“We are verifying the report, but in fact, the Red Belt leader surrendered. He is now at the headquarters of the SSPDF in Juba. That is confirmed. [What I don’t know is whether] he responded to the call that was previously announced by the CDF, asking him to surrender to the nearest army headquarters or to the pardon I announced,” Ateny told Eye Radio on Monday, Jan. 5.

“His presence at the army headquarters is confirmed. The details of why he surrendered will be explained later. There were members with him, but I am not sure about the exact number. The figures I am hearing are different. I will confirm properly once I receive the final details. But I confirm that it is Red Belt,” he added.

Commissioner Ateny said the surrender is expected to restore security and ease social tensions that have been witnessed in recent months following clashes between the Red Belt group and security forces in September last year.

He called on residents to remain calm and urged security forces to ease their operations now that the group’s leader has surrendered.

“The issue of Red Belt has been a serious security concern in Jonglei, especially in Bor town. Now that he has responded to the government’s call and agreed to come to Juba through the government process, this is a good development. This move is an excellent step that the government of Jonglei appreciates. They will return to the town, and people will live peacefully again.

“The past months were marked by crisis, atrocities, and misunderstandings, with many social tensions. Now that chapter is closed, and we are opening a new one. We will now focus on external security threats rather than internal ones. I appreciate the Red Belt leader’s decision,” he said.

The Red Belt group, whose members wear green distinct attire and describe themselves as a community-based vigilante force, came into the public spotlight in September last year after violent clashes with security forces in Bor town, the capital of Jonglei State.

Several people, including members of the security forces and the group itself, were killed during the clashes.

Following the violence, Jonglei State authorities accused the group of anti-government activities and deployed heavy security forces to crack down on it.

The Chief of Defence Forces, General Paul Nang Majok, later ordered the group to integrate into the army, but the group failed to respond.

He subsequently declared the Red Belt a rebel force, leading to further military operations in Bor town after the army said it confiscated weapons and other military equipment linked to the group during security searches in Juba.