, who were undergoing training at the Gukmakur Military Training Center, have defected and joined the Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF).){kind=link}
By Ginaba Lino
In a significant development, thirty-five members of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLM-IO), who were undergoing training at the Gukmakur Military Training Center, have defected and joined the Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF).
Lt. Col. John Chok Akot, leader of the defecting group, explained during a press briefing that he and his colleagues had served under Dr. Riek Machar since 2014 but were disillusioned by the lack of benefits and the growing tribal nature of the movement.
“The mission we joined no longer represents the values we stood for,” Lt. Col. Akot said. “We joined to liberate our people, but what we found was a tribal movement, and we had no future in it.”
National Security Service spokesperson, David John Kumuri, welcomed the defecting officers, emphasizing the importance of a unified leadership in the country.
He underscored that South Sudan cannot move forward without a single Commander-in-Chief.
Since the outbreak of conflict, many SPLM-IO members have defected and joined government forces, with defections being reported across South Sudan. Most recently, key political figures from Western Equatoria State also abandoned SPLM-IO, joining the government faction.