Kiir, Machar dispatch advance team to Wau ahead of graduation of peace forces on Friday

JUBA – A military advance team from the Joint Transitional Security Committee (JTSC) led by the chairperson of the JTSC in Bahr el Ghazal region Lt. Gen. Garang Ayii Akol has arrived in Western Bahr el Ghazal State’s capital Wau to prepare for graduation of peace forces slated for Friday.

Speak upon arrival in Wau, Ayii said around 10,000 members of the Necessary Unified Forces (NUF) will be graduated on Friday and a team of senior government officials led by presidential security advisor Tut Gatluak who is also the chairperson of the National Transitional Committee (NTC) will come from Juba.

“Today, I have arrived in Wau town for the graduation of the unified forces on Friday, next tomorrow. This graduation will include all the forces at the training centers in greater Bahr el Ghazal, the army in Mapel, Pantit, and the organized forces in Masna Biira,” he is quoted by Radio Tamazuj as saying.

“Our high officials will come from Juba led by the presidential advisor Tut Gatlual Manibe and the national minister for defense, minister of interior, minister of wildlife, and the Western Bahr el Ghazal state governor,” he added.

Ayii said all the forces in Bahr el Ghazal will be graduated, though some of them will not attend the ceremony and added: “the rest of the colleagues will stand behind the symbolic graduates.”

For his part, the SSPDF director of information and public relations Maj. Gen. Malak Ayuen Ajok said the team is in Wau to see the preparation for the graduation.

“We come here today as the advance team to see exactly the preparations for the graduation and the graduation will take place on the 4th of this month. We are inviting everyone to come and attend this occasion,” Ayuen said.