The former Chief of Staff of the National Democratic Movement-For Peace (NDM-FP), Gen. Nicodemus Deng Deng Alur, who abandoned Dr. Lam Akol’s outfit and joined the government in Juba in 2019 has defected again and announced that he has joined Gen. Paul Malong Awan’s South Sudan United Front/Army (SSUF/A).
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj from an unknown location in South Sudan, Gen Deng said he defected with more than 7,000 troops including high-ranking officers.
“On 4 June 2023, I joined SSUF/A under the leadership of Gen. Paul Malong Awan with 7027 soldiers including 269 officers. We want to change the government of South Sudan because they are claiming there is peace but there is no peace in Juba,” he charged. “I was detained for four years without integration into the army or any assignment in Juba.”
Gen. Deng said he was denied access to President Salva Kiir and National Security Service’s Internal Security Bureau (ISB) chief Akol Koor. He claims that he was mistreated while in Juba after joining the government for peace.
“I used to walk on foot and sometimes ride on motorcycles and they kept moving me from one hotel to another and I finally ended up in a house full of water and sewerage as if I am a useless person,” Deng said
Reacting to Gen. Deng’s declaration, South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) Spokesperson Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang said he had no information about the defection. He said Deng is disgruntled and looking for sympathy from the regime.
“From where did Nicodemus get the 7,000 troops?” he asked. “The last time I met him, he was being followed by 15 soldiers carrying sticks without even a pistol.”