The Joint Defence Board (JDB) has identified two pilot project sites for the cantonment of forces in Yei River State, a senior opposition official said.
The JDB is tasked with command and control over all forces during the pre-transitional period.
Lam Paul Gabriel, deputy military spokesman of the SPLA-IO group told Radio Tamazuj on Thursday that the two sites are located in Kajo-Keji and Morobo counties.
"SPLA-IO will select 1, 500 forces and then the SSPDF will select the same number in Yei River state, so those forces will go to Moroto in Kajo-Keji County for training. The two forces will be trained as a unified army,” he said.
He explained that SPLA-IO forces will assemble in the area of Kendila. Lam pointed out that the Joint Defence Board has not yet decided on the number of cantonment sites across the country.
The word 'cantonment' describes a site where military units are usually encamped for a long period of time. South Sudan's peace agreement requires the assembly and cantonment of forces previously in combat during the pre-transitional period.