Heavily armed troops have surrounded the home of the former army chief Paul Malong Awan in the South Sudanese capital, Juba this evening.

General Malong, who hails from Northern Bahr al Ghazal region, is being confined to his home in Juba for security reasons. He was sacked in May by President Kiir after resignations by senior military officials.

A relative of Malong who preferred not to be named told Radio Tamazuj that over 200 heavily armed soldiers blocked the area near the presidential palace and took up positions around the house of Paul Malong.

“Heavily armed soldiers have been deployed this evening. General Malong has been asked to remain with three bodyguards only, but the bodyguards have refused to leave Malong,” he said.

“Previously, the number of soldiers deployed at home was around 10 only, but today the deployment is too much, I can tell you that the deployment is very heavy, ” he added.

He pointed out that a presidential order to deploy more troops round Malong’s house was delivered by General Mangar Buong, the head of operations in the SPLA army.

When asked whether or not a standoff could flare up at any time in Juba, he said: “I don’t think there would a problem because General Malong has asked his people to remain calm and advised all his bodyguards to go to their respective units.”

President Kiir’s order

Separately, an order dated 30 October and signed by President Salva Kiir has given orders to the current army chief James Ajongo not to allow Paul Malong to leave his residence and that the wives of the former army chief desiring to meet him must first obtain written permission.

Kiir also ordered the army chief to take Malong’s telephones away. ”All arms and ammunitions in the possession of the former chief of general staff must all be removed from him forthwith,” partly reads the order.

“Any resistance posed by the former chief of general staff must be met with reasonable force,” adds the presidential order.