South Sudan's SPLA General Headquarters on Monday announced the redeployment of over 250 soldiers outside Juba as the first phase in a process of partially demilitarizing the capital Juba, per the terms of the recent peace agreement.

Speaking on Monday to press, Major General Samson Mabior Lual said that the 250 men and women are going to be relocated to Magiri located 25 km from Juba, per the security agreement.

“As you have seen behind me the forces are ready and this is the first arrangement. We are now on the implementation of the security arrangement of major towns and the towns are Juba, Bor, Malakal and Bentiu,” he said.

For his part, Colonel Philip Aguer, SPLA spokesman said that Juba will be left only with 4,380 forces according to the security arrangements and ceasefire agreement.

“Today the 23rd November, 2015 the SPLA General Headquarters is implementing the security arrangement and ceasefire agreement that stipulated the redeployment of forces from Juba to a distance of 25 km outside Juba town,” he said.

“This has started today by SPLA headquarters redeploying ground forces from Juba starting with 250 forces that are heading to Magiri, a distance of 25 km.”