Lack of food is delaying the process of transporting opposition forces from Kendila and Panyume cantonment sites to Moroto training centre in Yei River State, military officials said.
The process of gathering fighters into military training camps with a view to forming a unified army is a cornerstone of the 2018 peace deal.
Brig. Gen. Logeleng Sammy, commander of the SPLA-IO division 2B in Yei River State , told Radio Tamazuj on Friday that the process of transporting their troops from cantonment sites to the training base has been riddled with delays due lack of food.
Logeleng said the designated training centre lacks food, pointing out that the SPLA-IO forces in Panyume and Kendila cantonment sites will move as soon as food and medical supplies are taken to the training site.
“What we need urgently in the training centers are things like food, medicines, tents and clean drinking water,” he explained.
The senior opposition commander said military instructors are ready to start training of the necessary unified forces.
Lam Paul Gabriel, a deputy spokesman for the opposition SPLA-IO, confirmed that their forces are facing some challenges to move to the training centre in Yei River State.
He pointed out that food and non-food items are expected to arrive in Moroto training centre next week.
The rival parties have twice failed to form the unity government, first in May 2019 and then in November the same year, when they agreed to give themselves100 days to resolve disputed issues and form a transitional government by 22 February 2020.
Under the terms of the peace deal, the parties are to create a unified army and agree on the number and boundaries of states.