A group of 125 South Sudanese soldiers and officers are alleged to have defected from their unit in eastern Jonglei, resulting in insecurity in Pochalla County.

Commissioner of Pochalla County Joseph Okello told Radio Tamazuj today that the group left their base in the county and have gone out to the bush, causing insecurity for civilians.

“Over the last three months there was a deterioration of the security situation in the county, and the reasons were the desertion of individuals from the forces of SPLA, who went toward the areas on the side of Ethiopia, eastward,” he said.

He continued, “Last Saturday about 125 officers and men split from the force that is staying in the county in the town of Pochalla,” he said.

Okello explained that there are still some SPLA remaining loyal to the government in Pochalla town. The defectors headed either toward Akobo to the north, or toward Ethiopia, he said.

He claimed that they looted some areas and beat some civilians, also terrorizing people by firing shots. But the commissioner noted there were not organized rebel forces present in the county, only those defectors leaving their positions.

According to the official, the 18 schools in Pochalla County are closed owing to insecurity, except inside the town. Recently the schools had reopened, but since have closed again because of the latest security events.

“We are now working hard so that we can solve the security problem, after that they can open late, we will open them,” he said.

Photo: Defected army soldiers in Jonglei State, 30 January 2014  (Reuters/Goran Tomasevic)