Top SPLA-IO Kitgwang commander, troops rejoin Machar

JUBA – A senior South Sudan opposition commander allied to Gen. Simon Gatwech Dual has declared his intention, alongside dozens of troops, to rejoin the main armed opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army in Opposition (SPLM/A-IO) led by First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny.

Maj. Gen. Maj Gen. Moses Biel Rom said on Monday that he and his troops who defected to join Gen. Simon Gatwech following the August 2021 SPLA-IO split have now rejoined Machar after abandoning SPLA-IO Kitgwang base in Pieri and Juet areas of Jonglei state

“I defected alongside another general with 80 officers, 30 soldiers, and 50 police officers on Saturday. Now, I am at an SPLA-IO base in Pertet and these forces with me abandoned Kitgwang bases in Pieri and Juet of Yuai town. I do not have any problem with Gen. Gatwec Dual. I had some misunderstandings here with some officers but I do not want to go through details,” he is quoted by Radio Tamazuj as saying.

“So, I just want to announce that I have defected for the sake of peace and I will from tomorrow move to the SPLA-IO cantonment site in Motot,” he added.

SPLA-IO officer Lt. Kuony Malual Koryom further confirmed the defection of troops to their site and said “The numbers which I received here at Pertet are 82 with various ranks from the police and army.”

In Juba, Col. Lam Paul Gabriel further welcomed the defectors.

“As SPLA-IO, we welcomed these defections in Uror because it will bring peace in Uror and we will always welcome anyone coming back so long as it is for peace,” he said.