An advance team of the military high command led by the head of the Joint Transitional Security Committee (JTSC) in Bahr el Ghazal region Lt. Gen. Garang Ayii Akol arrived in Wau town of Western Bahr el Ghazal State on Wednesday ahead of Friday’s graduation of unified forces.
Addressing the media upon arrival, Ayii confirmed that the long-awaited graduation of the 10,000 Necessary Unified Forces in the region will take place on Friday without fail.
“Today, I have arrived in Wau town for the graduation of the unified forces on Friday, next tomorrow. This graduation will include all the forces at the training centers in greater Bahr el Ghazal, the army in Mapel, Pantit, and the organized forces in Masna Biira,” said Akol.
“Our high officials will come from Juba led by the presidential advisor Tut Gatlual Manibe and the national minister for defense, minister of interior, minister of wildlife, and the Western Bahr el Ghazal state governor,” he added.
According to Ayii, the grounds where the forces will be passed out will not take all the forces but he said, “the rest of the colleagues will stand behind the symbolic graduates.”
He confirmed that most of the forces have received their uniforms, and those who haven’t will receive them today.
Ayii said phase two of the training for the forces will commence as soon as the graduation is done.
On his part, the SSPDF director for information and public relations, Major General Malak Ayuen Ajok said the team is in Wau to see the preparation for the graduation.
“We come here today as the advance team to see exactly the preparations for the graduation and the graduation will take place on the 4th of this month. We are inviting everyone to come and attend this occasion,” Ayuen said.
Until now, over 26,000 unified forces mainly from the Equatoria region graduated and are waiting for deployment.
According to the 2018 revitalized peace deal, South Sudan is supposed to train and graduate a unified force of 83,000 personnel to take charge of security during the transitional period until 2023, when elections are held.