More than 2,000 opposition forces in South Sudan have defected to the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) and other organized forces, a senior military official said on Friday, in a move analysts warn could undermine the country’s fragile peace deal.
The defectors, from the South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA), pledged allegiance to President Salva Kiir during a ceremony in Juba.
SSOA is a signatory to the 2018 peace agreement, which established a unity government in 2020 and mandates the formation of a unified army before elections.
The defections come amid heightened political tensions, including the recent house arrest of First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar, leader of the main opposition group SPLM/A-IO.
SSOA, a coalition of several opposition parties, has largely been seen as aligned with Kiir’s ruling SPLM party, making the scale of defections unexpected.
Brigadier General Ibrahim Samir David, SSOA’s Greater Equatoria commander and a member of the Joint Defense Board media unit, announced the defections at the National Security Services headquarters. He said the forces came from training centers in Lologo, Rejaf, Owiny-Kibul, Muni, Gutmakur, Maridi, and Rambur.
“We declare our allegiance to President Salva Kiir Mayardit,” Samir said, reading a statement on behalf of defectors from the group’s army, police, prison service, wildlife service, and fire brigade.
The group included 105 army officers, 650 police officers, 668 prison service officers, 400 wildlife officers, and 506 fire brigade officers, he said.
“We renounce all duties assigned to us under SSOA and are now under the command of the president,” Samir added, urging other opposition forces across the country to defect.
David John Kumuri, the National Security Service’s public relations director, welcomed the defectors and assured them of their safety, saying the move demonstrated a commitment to peace.
SSOA leaders in Juba could not immediately be reached for comment.
The 2018 peace deal between Kiir and Machar has faced repeated setbacks, including delayed security reforms and political disputes. Analysts say the latest defections risk further destabilizing the agreement by weakening opposition forces.