SSPDF Chief of General Staff, Gen. Santino Deng Wol (left), Acting SPLA-IO Chief of Staff, Gen. Duop Lam, Presidential Security Advisor & the head of the National Transitional Committee, Tut Gatluak, and National Police Inspector General, Gen. Majak Akech addressing the media after security meeting held in Juba. August 10, 2021. (Courtesy).

The South Sudan People’s Defense Force has announced plans to absorb 139 generals from armed opposition groups, amid rejection of the procedure by SPLA-IO.

According to the SSPDF, the army is set to absorb into its ranks and file a total of 106 unspecified Major General and Brigadier Generals from SPLM/A-IO.

Meanwhile, the South Sudan Opposition Alliance will be allocated vacancies for 33 military generals.

The Spokesperson of SSPDF Major General Lul Ruai Koang, said 211 unspecified numbers of Major Generals and Brigadier Generals will be allocated to the national army whose political wing is the SPLM.

General Lul stated that the arrangement is to complete the long-awaited unification of the 2nd level of the unified command.

“We are done with identification of the position that will be given to them, we will submit the list to the Chief of Defense forces so that he forwards it to the principal to nominate the officers who will occupy the positions,” he said.

Lul said the allocation of positions to the opposition commanders at the SSPDF will pave way for the deployment of the necessary unified forces.

According to him, the SSPDF Chief of Defense Forces General Santino Deng Wol will form a committee to prepare a budget to facilitate deployment of the unified forces.

Lul told Eye Radio on Friday that CDF Gen. Wol is waiting for opposition groups to submit the names of their commanders.

“On our side, we have given 211 and an unspecified number of Major Generals and Brigadier Generals. So, the 139 opposition commanders plus 211 will occupy different officers that will be in the ranks and files of the SSPDF.”

SPLM-IO rejects procedures

However, the SPLM/A-IO under First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar rejected the procedures of submitting names to the SSPDF Chief of Force.

The spokesperson for the opposition military wing – Colonel Gabriel Lam Paul said they are against the procedure, which he said is contrary to the agreement.

“We are against it, because is not the right procedure, the right procedure is a committee need to be formed which they already formed the committee and I member of that committee,” he said.

“This committee is supposed to distribute these directorates which are already in this structure, and these directorates after being distributed will be given to the principal and the principal will put measures with qualifications to the different positions that are already there.”

“Then this position will be given to the resident; that’s the right procedure according to the agreement and it has happened even last time when the high command was formed it was not names given but the positions are given too.”

According to SSPDF,  different teams will be sent to all 18 training centers across the country to prepare the forces for deployment.