South Sudan’s government has lashed out at its former army chief turned rebel leader, Gen. Paul Malong for requesting to join the peace process in Addis Ababa.

“That is a warlordship, because there is no reason for General Malong to be part of an agreement signed when he was still the chief of general staff,” presidential spokesman Ateny Wek Ateny told Radio Tamazuj on Sunday.

“Malong was at the highest level of the government when President Kiir signed the 2015 peace agreement, so it was Malong who was the chief of the army,” he added.

The presidential spokesman further said Malong should feel shy for requesting to join the revitalization process of the 2015 peace agreement.

“Now he wanted to join the revitalization process of the same peace agreement that was signed when he was the army chief as part of the rebel groups,” Ateny said.

Gen. Malong, who formed a rebel movement earlier this month, wanted to be included in the peace talks between the government and the opposition in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

General Paul Malong Awan wrote a letter on 10 February to the IGAD Special Envoy for South Sudan Ismail Wais requesting inclusion in the ongoing peace process between South Sudanese warring in Addis Ababa.

It remains unclear whether Malong’s request has been accepted by the regional bloc or not.