The South Sudan United Movement (SSUM) has appointed an interim chief after the death of the opposition group's leader General Peter Gatdet Yak in Sudan last month.

Juan Dar, the spokesman of the SSUM group, told Radio Tamazuj on Wednesday that the deputy chairman Denay Jock Chagor was appointed in Khartoum on Tuesday as temporary head of the group.

The spokesman said a permanent replacement for General Gatdet had not been chosen yet.

According to Dar, the interim leader will serve for three months until a permanent leader is elected by members of the South Sudan United Movement.

“Mr. Denay Jock Chagor was the deputy chairman and the chief of general staff of the movement,” he said.

Gatdet was the founder of the rebel group South Sudan United Movement. He also led a faction of opposition umbrella, which split into two groups over leadership disagreements last year.

The movement is part of the 2018 peace deal that calls on rival factions to unify their forces into a national army before the formation of a transitional government.

South Sudan President Salva Kiir and opposition groups failed to form a transitional government as stipulated in the peace deal by May 12. The formation of the unity government was extended by six months to November.