Gen. Simon Gatwech Dual, the leader of the rebel SPLA-IO Kit-Gwang faction, announced the capture of the Pajut area in northern Jonglei State on Friday morning, calling it a victory by “joint opposition movement forces.”
A large number of South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) troops had gathered in Pajut after the SPLA-IO captured Uror County from government forces on Jan. 2. Some SSPDF units reportedly moved to Pajut to prepare for a possible counterattack.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, Gen. Gatwech declined to name the joint opposition forces involved in the capture of Pajut, saying he would disclose details later. He accused President Salva Kiir of destroying the country by fueling ongoing conflicts.
“Joint opposition movements came together and captured Pajut this morning, and I would like to pass my greetings to all the opposition groups wherever they are in South Sudan,” he said.
Several local sources also confirmed Pajut’s capture to Radio Tamazuj, though the SSPDF had not yet commented. SPLA-IO forces also announced the capture of Pajut from the SSPDF at about 6 a.m. Friday.
Gatwech, a former SPLA-IO chief of staff, said the fighting will continue until it reaches Juba, the president’s seat, but assured civilians that they would not be harmed.
Gatwech, whose forces operate in Upper Nile and Jonglei states, hails from Uror County. When asked about casualties from the fighting in Pajut, he said details were still being compiled.
“Civilians in Pajut are safe and secure because our problem is with the army bases and barracks, not civilian areas,” he said.
He escribed Pajut as the SSPDF’s largest base in northern Jonglei after the capture of Yuai town. Gen. Gatwech claimed the SSPDF has been weakened by a lack of salaries and support, forcing some troops to rely on charcoal making for income, and called on government forces not to engage the opposition in combat.
Regarding the Port Sudan peace agreement he signed with the government in February 2025, Gatwech said the deal has expired without implementation.
“We are left with only a few days until the expiry of the peace agreement. But I can say the peace agreement is going hand in hand with the war,” he said. “My team is in Juba, and it is up to President Salva Kiir to tell us if the agreement is dead or still alive.”
He blamed Kiir for failing to implement the agreement, despite what he said was the Kit-Gwang faction’s full acceptance of the peace terms.
The SPLA-IO Kit-Gwang faction, led by Gatwech, signed the peace accord with the government on Feb. 2, 2025, in Port Sudan. The agreement, brokered by Sudanese military authorities, had a 12-month implementation timeline.
The South Sudanese government was represented by Gen. Akec Tong Aleu, then director general of the National Security Service’s Internal Security Bureau. Sudan was represented by Gen. Ahmed Ibrahim Mufadal, then head of the General Intelligence Service.
Following the signing, an advance team from the Kit-Gwang faction traveled to Juba, led by Gatluak Puok Kuenywar, to begin discussions on implementing the agreement, including integrating their forces into the SSPDF and other organized units.
The deal also stipulated that Gatwech would be appointed deputy commander-in-chief of the SSPDF before returning to Juba. It further required a contingent of SPLA-IO Kit-Gwang forces to deploy to Juba within three months of signing.
However, none of the provisions of the agreement have been implemented.