FULL-TEXT | SPLM-IO denies defection of military chief

JUBA – South Sudan’s main armed opposition group on Tuesday evening issued a damning statement denying rumors circulating in the Sudanese capital Khartoum alleging defection of the group’s military chief of staff General Simon Gatwech Dual.

Since last week, speculations have it that Dual has been allegedly planning to declare end of the revitalized peace agreement with some opposition officials claiming to be in direct communication – in Khartoum – with the powerful opposition commander.

In the statement signed by the group’s military spokesman William Gatjiath Deng, the opposition command says it there is no truth behind the claims and that senior opposition officials close to Machar including the group’s military intelligence chief General Dhiling Keah were behind the speculations.

Below is the full state!

PRESS STATEMENT

In response to the rumours floating on social media and falsely claiming the unfounded history gestured the defection of the SPLA (IO) Chief of General Staff, Simon Gatwech Dual, with some senior officers in the highest rank and File, is much more far from the truth.

Moreover, General Simon Gatwech Dual, his now still commanding the SPLA (IO) forces as a Chief of Staff, and also the same as other Generals who had suspected to have engineered the plan, are also free and vigilance at the HQs.

General Simon Gatwech Dual, said at the briefing in Magenis that, this provocation has been engineered by the SPLA (IO) director of Military Intelligence Maj. General Dhiling Keak Chuol, who came from Juba last week and stationed in Khartoum with long list that bears the names of SPLA (IO) senior officers and claiming their defection purposely to create confusion within the leadership.

The leadership would remind all perpetrators, specifically those who are always telling liars about the others and working hard to push others out of the movement and you need to know that, this movement has lost thousands of lives and it’s controlled by strong pillars those who are ready to protect the national interest rather than opportunism.

Please take care, Chief said.

Brig. General William Gatjiath Deng

SPLA (IO) Army Spokesman, GHQs.