Kiir replaces military intelligence chief as gov’t offensive looms in Jonglei

JUBA – South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir has replaced the army’s chief of military intelligence, a shake-up executed as government troops mobilize for a major counter-offensive against rebel positions in the volatile Jonglei State.

Kiir removed Lt. Gen. David Ohucholi and appointed Lt. Gen. Abud Stephen Thiongkol Ijong to the role, according to a decree broadcast on the state-owned South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation (SSBC) on Wednesday morning.

The presidency offered no official explanation for the dismissal, which returns Gen. Abud to a post he held until 2024.

However, security sources confirmed that the newly appointed intelligence chief departed Juba on Wednesday night, reportedly heading toward the frontline state of Jonglei immediately after taking office.

The leadership change comes as the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) mass heavy reinforcements in the Jonglei capital, Bor, following a series of battlefield setbacks.

The main armed opposition, the Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO), recently captured Pajut in Duk County and Panyume in Central Equatoria, sparking fears among commanders of a coordinated push toward key population centers.

On Tuesday, army chief Gen. Paul Nang Majok issued a strict seven-day ultimatum to troops gathered in Baidit, north of Bor, ordering them to “end” the insurgency.

Addressing units drawn from the 3^rd, 5^th, and 12^th infantry divisions, Nang invoked the history of the 1991 and 2013 conflicts in Bor to rally forces.

“The rebellion which is here must end,” Nang told troops, signaling a shift from defensive posturing to active combat operations.

Security analysts suggest the timing of the intelligence reshuffle reflects growing frustration within the presidency regarding the reliability of battlefield information.

The move follows a pattern of high-level purges by Kiir, who on Tuesday fired the director-general of the general and the minister of interior in a bid to consolidate control amid deepening political rifts and stalled peace implementation.

Civilians in Bor reported witnessing long convoys of government soldiers and equipment arriving by road throughout the week.

The military buildup is intended to secure the state capital and stage grounds for operations deep into opposition-held territory, sources said.