Northern Bahr el Ghazal state government in South Sudan is still carrying out the disarmament of the SPLA soldiers who deserted their positions in Upper Nile state after non-payment of their salaries for several months.

The state government said the runaway soldiers hail from Northern Bahr el Ghazal and Warrap states.

The Northern Bahr el Ghazal State Deputy Governor Gen. Salva Chol Ayat told Radio Tamazuj Thursday the disarmament team is still collecting guns of some SPLA soldiers who abandoned the front line in Upper Nile state and then ordered those who are willing to serve in the national army to report back to their barracks.

Gen. Ayat said that some soldiers expressed their readiness to return back to barracks, but their number is not yet registered.

He said the government decided to pursue the runaway soldiers in Northern Bahr el Ghazal state only to collect their guns.

Upper Nile, Unity, and Jonglei states witnessed fierce battles in the last six months between loyalist troops and defected soldiers supporting the former vice president Riek Machar.