The South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) on Friday dismissed reports that the commander of the presidential guards unit, also known as Tiger Division, had been moved in changes.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang, the official spokesperson of the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF), said that social media reports of changes at the top command of the Tiger Division were misguided.
Social media reports claimed Maj. Gen. Abraham Gum Makuac took over from Maj Gen Lual Week Kuem, better known as Lual Maroldit, in changes made by President Salva Kiir, who is also the commander in chief of the army.
However, Maj. Gen. Lul clarified that no such changes have occurred.
In May 2017, the president promoted Lual Wek Guem to the rank of Major General and appointed him as commander of the presidential guards unit, the Tiger Division.
The presidential guards unit, based in Juba, is an elite SSPDF military unit whose main task is to protect President Salva Kiir.
“The Chief of Defense Forces briefed all the officers at General headquarters and made it very clear to us a few moments ago that he has not received any official letter from the office of the commander in chief of SSPDF [Salva Kiir] effecting any changes that were reported on social media,” Koang said.
Gen. Koang urged the public to refrain from consuming information from social media.
The denial follows President Salva Kiir’s recent dismissal of Gen. Akol Koor Kuc, the long-serving Director General of the Internal Security Bureau of the National Security Service (NSS), who was replaced by Akec Tong Aleu. Kuc’s removal has sparked speculation about a power struggle among South Sudan’s top security officials.