Two rebel commanders have defected from the main armed opposition group led by Riek Machar and joined the opposition faction led by the country’s First Vice President Taban Deng Gai, a government official said.

The two officers were identified as Brigadier General Gabriel Guet and Brigadier General Micheal Tuak from the opposition’s fourth division headquarters in Unity region.

The spokesman of the SPLA-IO faction led by Taban Deng said in a statement that the two senior officers have decided to abandon Machar’s faction.

 “The leadership of the SPLM/A (IO) is profoundly grateful for your wise decision to join the SPLA-IO under the wise and able leadership of General Taban Deng Gai, the FVP [first vice president] of the Republic of South Sudan. We are all profoundly grateful for the defection of Brig.General Gabriel Guet and Brig.General Micheal Tuak from Machar's camp at fourth Division,” partly reads the statement.

Rebel spokesman could not immediately be reached for comment.