General Dau Aturjong Nyuol, a former rebel commander, has officially taken over his position as new head of the SPLA army’s third infantry division in the greater Bahr al Ghazal region.

He succeeds General Santino Deng Wol who has been appointed by President Kiir as the commander of ground forces at the SPLA headquarters in the nation’s capital Juba.

The function at which the handing over was done in Aweil town was broadcast by the state-owned South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation on Wednesday evening.

The state broadcaster showed images of three governors of Aweil, Aweil East and Lol, all speaking about unity, enforcing security and maintaining law and order in the region.

The function was attended by Aweil East governor, Deng Deng Akuei, Lol state governor, Rizik Zachariah, and the host governor Yournew Wol Kuot.

 The state officials pledged their support to the new commander.

Dau had served as commander of the SPLA army’s six division before he joined rebels led by the former vice president Riek Machar in 2014.

He returned to Juba as part of the advance team of the rebel group after the signed 2015 peace deal, but he later decided to return to the government after the Dinka Council of Elders persuaded him to abandon rebellion and return to the government.

Kiir immediately decided to reinstate him into active military service and appointed him as the commander of the government army’s eighth infantry division in Jonglei before being assigned to head the army’s third infantry division in Bahr al Ghazal region.

Dau will now be based in Wunyiik area in Aweil East state.