A South Sudanese rebel officer, Chan Garang Lual, has defected to the government, severing ties with former army chief turned rebel leader Paul Malong.
Garang defected from the government in November last year in protest against Malong's house arrest in Juba and joined the opposition group led by former vice president Riek Machar in Equatoria region.
Chan said at a press conference in Juba this afternoon that his defection to the government comes after President Kiir pardoned opposition groups.
“I was in Equatoria here … But I came after the president declared a general amnesty. Our brother Ajang Ajang came first and we observed that he was not arrested,” he said.
For his part, SPLA army spokesman Lul Ruai Koang said Brigadier General Chan Garang defected to the government on Sunday, pointing out that there were negotiations between the government and Chan Garang’s group.
“Brother Ajang Ajang Lino who is the political leader of South Sudan United Front/Army with his military leadership responded positively and came. Chan was from the bush and he just came yesterday,” Lul said.
“The whole leadership of SSUF/A is here. Ajang Ajang is here and Chan Garang is her with his leadership,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Secretary General of the SSUF/A group, Garang Garang said their forces have joined the government under the military leadership of Brigadier General Chan Garang Lual, the Chief of General Staff of the forces.
“We have over 300 forces… The agreement was signed between Ajang Ajang and the government in Uganda. It was signed in response to a call by the president,” he said.
It was not immediately clear when Brigadier General Chan Garang Lual defected from Machar’s SPLA-IO movement to the South Sudan United Front/A (SSUF/A) faction led by Ajang Ajang.