14 angry military officers abandon VP Taban, join Malong

JUBA – A group of fourteen (14) South Sudan military officers allied to Vice-President Taban Deng Gai have declared their intention to join the South Sudan United Front (SSUF/A) led by General Paul Malong Awan, the country’s former army chief who fall out with President Kiir in 2017 following his dismissal.

In a statement, the SSUF/A military deputy spokesman Maj. Philip Deng Kuol Nguot said they welcomed the group and described their decision to join the rebel movement as courageous in the fight against the government of President Salva Kiir Mayardit.

“The Official SSUF/A Deputy Military Spokesman, is in a position to inform our supporters and general public that with a great pleasure SSUF/A under the wisely leadership of Gen. Paul Malong Awan Anei welcomes to its rank and file the new members who have expressed intrigues in joining hands with likeminded comrades of this great Movement so as to collectively champion for a better democratized South Sudan,” he said in the statement extended to Sudans Post.

“It needs staunchness, avidity and courage for one to take such a desperate steep that aims at changing the trajectory on which our beloved country has been revolving around. It is such a bold stance that would pave a way for the reinstatement of the shattered hopes of South Sudanese whose lives have been jeopardized with the country ravaged by the unrelenting conflict resulting from the illicit leadership of Salva Kiir Mayardit,” he added.

The statement said “The sacrifice made to abandon their organization so as to lend toward effecting the much needed change is praiseworthy. If it’s in this regard that we wish to acknowledge and with warmth welcome to our Movement these zealous sons of South Sudan registering their membership to this alternative Movement.”

He said the group of officers defected from the “defunct SPLA-IO under the leadership of VP Gen. Taban Deng Gai and were being airlifted from Gorom military base to Upper Nile in order to pursue the integration in 2018. But today, they have darely switched their allegiances to SSUF/A under the wisely leadership of Gen. Paul Malong Awan Anei.”

The group was led by Captain Manong Mamuor Gatluak and the SSUF/A statement described them as “gentlemen of upstanding character with immanent braveness and are indeed a positive addition to our membership. They are persons of high statues from different areas of proficiency and whose presence in our SSUF/A Movement is worth celebrating.”

“The resolve to achieve the South Sudanese projected goal is on course and victory is not only in sight but assured. Let us keep our eyes on the ball for there is light at the end of the underpass,” the statement added.