South Sudan ceasefire monitors urge troop deployment

JUBA – South Sudan’s Ceasefire Transitional Security Arrangement Monitoring and Verification Mechanism (CTSAMVM) on Thursday urged the government to deploy unified forces in most parts of the country to contain tribal clashes.

Speaking during a CTSAMVM board meeting in Juba, Major-General Yitayal Gelaw Bitew, chairperson of the peace monitoring mechanism, blamed the delay in the full deployment of the Necessary Unified Forces (NUF) for the ongoing insecurity.

“This region has been plagued by recurrent conflicts, necessitating a lasting resolution to foster peace in Nasir. Many of these conflicts could be averted by deploying the Necessary Unified Forces across South Sudan and facilitating civilian interaction with a unified security presence,” Gelaw said.

Gelaw said the deployment status remained unchanged, with only eight military battalions deployed thus far, leaving other forces inactive. He added that CTSAMVM had diligently inspected various training centers and cantonment sites, revealing critical logistical deficiencies.

The occupation of civilian areas and structures also persisted, as observed since the previous board meeting.

CTSAMVM expressed particular concern about reports detailing tensions between armed youth and South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) soldiers in Nasir County of Upper Nile State.

The transitional unity government has so far only deployed 6% of the planned 83,000 unified forces as the transitional period nears its end in less than five months.

About 51,000 NUF have been deployed due to disagreement over the unified command structure for prisons, wildlife, fire brigade, and national security.

Out of 51,000, more than 6,000 are from the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM/IO) soldiers, with over 3,700 officers holding high ranks compared to slightly above 2,000 non-commissioned officers. The government passed out the first batch of unified forces on August 30, 2022.

In November 2023, 4,000 NUF personnel were deployed to the states of Upper Nile, Eastern Equatoria, Western Equatoria, and Western Bahr El Ghazal.