Army battalion deployed to Tonja still en route  

JUBA – South Sudan’s unified forces battalion dispatched to Upper Nile state remains en route and has not yet reached Tonja, a senior opposition officer disclosed.

The government deployed around 750 soldiers from the Necessary Unified Forces to Upper Nile state last Wednesday.

The small contingent of troops is the first to be deployed since the peace forces graduated last year.

The troops departed Juba by three barges after their deployment parade at Luri Training Center on the morning of November 15.

However, speaking to Sudans Post this afternoon, SPLA-IO spokesman Col. Lam Paul Gabriel confirmed the troops were still en route, commenting that they were in Leer, Unity State, yesterday.

“Yesterday, they left Panyijiar and Adok in Leer. So, I believe either this morning or yesterday evening they should be in Tonja,” he said.

Lam further confirmed that none of the 750 troops remained in Juba, stating, “The first battalion, all of them went, 750.”

The battalion is part of the 53,000 Necessary Unified Forces (NUF).

Unconfirmed information reached Sudans Post this afternoon that one of the three boats carrying the army malfunctioned en route, something Lam said he was not aware of.