High-ranking SPLA-IO commander, troops defect to Kiir

YAMBIO – A senior commander from South Sudan’s main armed Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO), and his forces have defected to the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) in Western Equatoria State, officials said on Thursday.

The defection follows nearly a month after opposition leader and First Vice President Riek Machar was placed under effective house arrest in Juba by President Salva Kiir and comes amid a series of defections from Machar’s camp.

Major General Edward Resiz Joseph Marona, the former SPLA-IO Sector Commander for Division Six in Western Equatoria State, said he defected with 1,280 troops and publicly declared their allegiance to the SSPDF during a ceremony held Thursday morning at the state secretariat in Yambio.

Speaking at a media briefing in Yambio, Marona stated that his decision to leave the SPLA-IO was motivated by a desire to support national peace efforts, which he said were being threatened by Machar.

“Today in the capital of Western Equatoria State, Yambio, we are very happy to join the SSPDF. This is the beginning; we are all sorry for what has been happening in our part of the country, especially in WES. We have come to work as one family and are working together with our members in Juba to arrange how our forces will be organized,” Marona said.

Western Equatoria’s Acting Governor, Daniel Badagbu Rimbasa, welcomed the defectors and urged the public to avoid politicizing the move.

“The issue of finger-pointing should not be part of their welcome. Accept your brothers in good faith; even though they have done wrong, forgive them. What happened in the bush has stopped; let’s work together,” Badagbu said.

State Minister of Local Government and Law Enforcement, James Severino Morris, clarified that only a portion of the defectors were physically present at Thursday’s event.

He noted that the rest were still in other parts of the state, and the government was organizing logistics to bring them to the state’s headquarters.

“After their declarations today, we are going to work together as brothers for the betterment of our beloved nation, South Sudan. Today is a joyful day because our brothers have decided to unite; let’s respect them,” Severino said.

On April 2, more than 600 SPLA-IO soldiers defected to the SSPDF in several locations, including Panyier, Lologo, Rejaf training centers, and Gutmakur, according to a defector.