A senior opposition official has accused the governor of Kapoeta State, Louis Lobong Lojore of obstructing the registration of SPLA-IO forces at Looryo area in the state.
Last month, SPLA-IO troops declined to move from Looryo to a proposed cantonment site in Lowareng area, citing lack of facilities.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Wednesday, the opposition-appointed governor of Kapoeta State, Marko Lokidor claimed Governor Lobong prevented the delivery of registration forms to Looryo cantonment for SPLA-IO soldiers.
The SPLA-IO official said registration forms reached Kapeota state last week, but Governor Lobong and the security committee refused to deliver them to Looryo area and ordered that the forms be returned to Juba.
"The government wants our troops to be assembled in Lowareng cantonment site instead of Looryo,” he said.
The opposition official further said they have an estimated 1,000 troops in Lowareng cantonment site while Looryo currently has more than 3,000 SPLA-IO forces.
Governor Lobong and JMCC officials could not immediately be reached for comment. But the state governor said last month that Looryo area wasn’t chosen by the Joint Military Ceasefire Commission (JMCC) to be a cantonment site.
Signatories to the peace deal have missed IGAD's September 30 deadline to have half of the 83,000 unified forces trained and deployed.
Under the terms of the peace deal, the rival parties are to create a unified army and settle disputes over the number and boundaries of states. There has been mounting global pressure on South Sudan’s rival parties to establish a unity government by November 12.