Top army general abandons Kiir, joins Gen. Cirilo

JUBA – A senior South Sudan army officer has abandoned South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) under President Salva Kiir Mayardit and declared his intention to join the rebel National Salvation Front (NAS) led by General Thomas Cirilo Swaka, saying the army has failed to effect reforms to protect civilians across the country.

In a statement extended to Sudans Post yesterday, General Hillary Edson said his decision to resign from the SSPDF is effective as of September 29, 2022 and said he has endured hardship under the SSPDF in hope of seeing change in the way the army is treating civilians.

“I Brig. Gen. Hillary Edson T. Yakani, do hereby from the effect of today 29/9/2022 declare that I have resigned serving under the leadership of SSPDF and will henceforth not be associating with a rogue SSPDF institution,” General Edson wrote.

“I have arrived to this decision after enduring for long, hoping that the regime might come to its senses and resort to serving its people, but the signs clearly spell a much bigger disaster ahead as the flesh thirsty security forces continue to hunt for innocent lives across the country daily,” he added.

The senior army officer said the number of streets children has increased because most children which he said their parent have been murdered by the SSPDF have gone to the streets and that absence of a legitimate government has resulted in the killing and forced disappearing of citizens.

“Orphans are wailing for their parents murdered by the security forces directed by the rogue political class in Juba It must be put to record that there is no functional government in the Republic of South Sudan at moment, but just a bunch of idol worshipers congregating to loot the nation, scatter its citizens and feast on the blood of those who fell in their traps,” he said.

“The absence of a legitimate government in the Republic of South Sudan, resulted to the rise of cases of forced disappearance of citizens in the country, political assassinations, state engineered silent genocide, deliberate displacement of civilians with aim of occupying other communities land by the new oppressors, gross corruption and plundering of the states’ resources by these regimes warlords,” he continued.

General Edson further declared his intention to join the National Salvation Front (NAS) led by General Thomas Cirilo Swaka effective yesterday.

“I therefore declare that I will join hands with the National Salvation Front /Army under the leadership of Gen. Thomas Cirilo Sawka as from today 29/9/2022 to actively participate in people’s revolution and to struggle by all available means to ensure the total removal of the tyrant President Salva Kr Mayardit and his political clones in Juba,” he said.