Gov’t delivers food supplies to Muom after Sudans Post investigation

JUBA – South Sudan government has delivered the much-needed food supplies to Necessary Unified Forces (NUF) stationed  at Muom in southern Unity State, camp commander Brig. Gen. Peter Phar Tai says.

The government’s delivery of food supplies comes after an investigation by Sudans Post in October revealed suffering of the forces, leading to mass desertion for the forces to seek greener pastures in Bentiu, Unity State’s capital, and Leer town.

Speaking to Sudans Post this afternoon in Muom, Gen. Phar said the unified command of the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) transported the food supplies from Juba through Adok Port in Leer town on Saturday.

“We’ve been here for several months without food or medical supplies. Now we’ve been able to meet our basic needs. Last week, we received our food and medical supplies from Juba through Adok food,” he stated.

Gen. Phar, also a senior officer of the main armed opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO), said the forces are now returning to the training center and urged those who have not yet returned to do so.

“The forces are returning to the training center after leaving to other areas where there is no food supply. Since we received our food supplies here,” he said, adding that the government has not yet provided medical supplies, which are also needed by the forces.

“We are grateful to our leadership in Juba, even if there are no medicines for our unified forces. When there are any patients, we will take them to Leer town, where there is a facility. It takes 3 hours on foot from Muom to Leer town.”

An investigation by Sudans Post in October revealed that troops had abandoned training centers in most parts of Unity State. Muom, located in Leer County, was one of the training centers abandoned due to a lack of food and medicine.

The forces are part of the 52,000 troops who graduated between August and December last year.

They were supposed to be deployed after graduation, but due to various factors, they have not yet been deployed.

The government last week deployed at least 750 soldiers from the necessary unified forces to Tonja in Upper Nile State last week.

It was the first battalion  to be deployed out of the entire 52,000 who graduated.