5 high-ranking SPLA-IO commanders join Gatwech’s faction

JUBA – At least five opposition commanders belonging to the main armed opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO) have abandoned First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny and declared their intention to join the group’s breakaway Kitgwang faction under Gen. Simon Gatwech Dual.

In a statement extended to Sudans Post, the officers led by Brig. Gen. John Jock Lul who is better known as JJ said they have decided to switch side from sector four of the SPLA-IO under First Vice President Machar with effect from October 30.

“We are declaring our allegiance to the SPLA-IO Kitgwang movement under the leadership of 1^st Lt. Gen. Simon Gatwech Dual Hoth and left the SPLA-IO leadership under Riek Machar Teny over his failure,” they said in the statement dated October 30, 2022.

In a statement, General Gatwech’s military spokesman Brig. Gen. Alfred Gach Thot welcomed the decision of the military officers to abandon Machar and said the struggle against the government of President Kiir “is not yet over.”

“The SPLA-IO KD military leadership would like to congratulates and welcome the courageous decision taken by the senior Military officers who were defected from SPLA-IO under Dr. Riek Machar and join the ranks and files of SPLM/A-IO KD under the Chairman and commander in chief 1^st Lt Gen. Simon Gatwech Dual,” he said in the statement.

The senior opposition military officer further said “The military officers declared their allegiances to the SPLA-IO [Kitgwang] on 30/Oct/2022 in Nasir and were warmly received by Latjor Zonal Commander, Lt Gen. Koang Ruot Luach.”

The team of the opposition commanders also include Brig. Gen. Paulino Biel Lul Kuon, Col. Tesloach Yak Chamjock, Maj. Wiyual Bithou Deng and 135 non-commissioned officers.

Gach further added that the holdout opposition group which is furious for failure of President Kiir to implement their agreement “is ready to welcome any south Sudanese to the people’s movement (SPLM/A-IO KD) for the genuine peace to prevail in the country.”