Gen. Thomas Cirillo, leader of the opposition National Salvation Front (NAS), confirmed that he has formed a military alliance with the opposition SPLA-IO, led by Acting Chairman Oyet Nathaniel, as First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar remains under detention in Juba.
In an exclusive interview with Radio Tamazuj on Thursday, Gen. Cirillo confirmed that his group has entered into a military alliance with SPLA-IO following government offensives that displaced Machar’s forces from cantonment areas, including their bases near Juba.
Gen. Cirillo rejected the idea that the alliance could undermine peace, insisting the two groups are defending themselves amid repeated attacks from government forces. He also called for the immediate release of all political detainees, including Machar, to create a viable environment for renewed dialogue.
Below are the edited excerpts:
Q: Gen. Cirillo, there were reports before the Tumaini talks stopped in Nairobi that the government sought to engage in separate, backchannel discussions with you. Can you confirm whether any such secret meetings took place this year, and if so, what was discussed?
A: I would like to confirm that there were no secret talks with the government in Juba while the Tumaini Peace Talks were ongoing. The last engagement with the Juba government was in Rome. We refused to join the Tumaini initiative because the government’s intention was to mislead—it was not serious and was simply a political maneuver.
The last meeting with Juba involved a government delegation, but after they returned to Juba for consultation, they never came back to us.
However, on Aug. 12, 2024, during the Nairobi talks, a government delegation led by Albino Ayuel, the Kenyan mediation team led by Gen. Lazarus Sumbeywo, and representatives from the Sant’Egidio community approached us. We refused to participate in the Tumaini talks because they did not aim to address the root causes of the conflict.
We told them in that meeting that we are ready to participate in roundtable talks that bring together all parties so we can resolve the crisis and achieve sustainable peace in South Sudan. The Nairobi talks, in our view, were more about influencing public opinion—both locally and internationally—than about finding real solutions.
Q: With the collapse of the Tumaini Initiative and other formal channels for dialogue, many observers believe all avenues for negotiation are now closed. What, in your view, is the way forward for South Sudan?
A: As of now, there is no ongoing initiative for talks with the government following the collapse of the Tumaini Initiative. After their delegation returned to Juba for consultation, we received no further communication.
What we want the public to understand is that the Nairobi talks were one-sided. There was no political will—they were simply meant to mislead the international community. When the government delegation approached us during the Nairobi process, we presented a new initiative for inclusive peace talks. However, they did not respond and instead continued with the Nairobi discussions, which ultimately failed.
Q: Can you detail the nature of the recent military alliance between your movement and the SPLA-IO? What are the strategic objectives of this joint operation, and what prompted it?
A: Yes. After the government in Juba attacked SPLA-IO forces led by Dr. Riek Machar—targeting all their military camps and displacing them—the National Salvation Front (NAS) provided assistance to help our brothers safely reach their destinations.
Following that, communication and consultations took place between SPLA-IO and NAS. We agreed on a military-political alliance to continue the struggle and resistance against the government in Juba.
The aim is to liberate the country from the current regime. The recent joint operations in Yei were carried out jointly by SPLA-IO and NAS forces, demonstrating our commitment to working together to resist, rescue the country, and achieve just peace.
Q: When did discussions to form this alliance with SPLA-IO begin, and what challenges do you anticipate for this partnership?
A: The consultations and communication began shortly after SPLA-IO forces left Juba. I am referring to the current SPLA-IO group operating outside the capital. We agreed to form a joint force to resist and rescue the country.
We are prepared to overcome any challenges that may arise, as we understand that struggle always comes with obstacles.
Q: Was Dr. Machar’s presence previously an obstacle to forming an alliance between your movement and the SPLA-IO? Has Nathaniel Oyet’s current role as acting leader made collaboration more feasible?
A: In NAS, we believe in institutions—not individuals. We see SPLA-IO as a movement and do not base our actions on individual personalities. We work with the SPLA-IO leadership, which is still led by Dr. Riek Machar.
Q: Is Dr. Machar, now in detention in Juba, supportive of the alliance between your movement and SPLA-IO?
A: That question should be addressed to the SPLA-IO.
Q: There are concerns that your military alliance with SPLA-IO, a peace partner, could further complicate the political situation and affect the conditions of Dr. Machar’s detention. How do you respond?
A: Both our movements—and the citizens—have been forced to defend ourselves and the country. The government under President Salva Kiir continues to attack opposition forces. We have no choice but to defend our people.
We call for the release of all political detainees, including Dr. Riek Machar. If the government is serious about creating an enabling environment for future discussions, let them release the political detainees.
Q: If military confrontations intensify, do you think the government might use Machar’s detention to pressure your alliance into surrendering?
A: In NAS, we understand that resistance is not short-sighted. Every struggle has its challenges. In past struggles such as Anyanya I and the SPLA movement, when the government felt threatened, it retaliated against civilians. This is nothing new to us. We are prepared.
Q: Do you have a strategy to pressure the government to release opposition detainees, including Dr. Machar?
A: Yes. We are engaging international human rights organizations and diplomatic means to pressure the government in Juba to release all political detainees, including First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar.
Q: Is your alliance with SPLA-IO strictly military, or are there parallel political discussions? Should the public expect a formal political declaration?
A: There are ongoing discussions with our brothers and sisters in SPLA-IO, under the leadership of Dr. Riek Machar, aimed at unifying our efforts to achieve a second liberation of South Sudan and rescue our people.
Q: Are you and SPLA-IO open to forming a broader opposition front, including groups such as the one led by Pagan Amum?
A: Our strategy is to unify all opposition forces to rescue the country. We are open to cooperation with any group that shares our goal of achieving freedom in South Sudan.
Q: President Kiir called for dialogue during the reopening of Parliament in July. If you received a formal invitation to negotiate in Rome today, would you participate?
A: In March 2025, we met with the IGAD delegation led by Ambassador Ismail Wais and representatives from the Sant’Egidio community in Rome. We expressed our readiness to engage in inclusive consultative talks. We asked them to inform Juba that we were open to discussions, but we have not received any response.
So President Kiir’s recent call for dialogue is, in our view, another attempt to mislead both the public and the international community. Instead of pursuing peace, the government is actively working to dismantle opposition groups, including SPLM-IO under Dr. Riek Machar.
We in NAS—and other groups under SSOMA and like-minded opposition movements—are ready for genuine talks with the government at any time.
Q: You have been in opposition since 2017. The government claims the opposition has no legitimate case. Why not compromise for the sake of peace?
A: As NAS and the SSOMA alliance, we’ve repeatedly expressed our readiness for negotiations in a neutral and suitable venue. If the government is uncomfortable with terms like “roundtable conference,” we are flexible on the terminology.
What matters to us is the substance of the talks. We need inclusive dialogue that brings together all political parties and groups inside and outside the country—including faith-based organizations, women, and civil society. That is how we can reach a solution. We are open to discussions with the government at any time.
Q: What is your final message to the people of South Sudan?
A: The country is collapsing. It is disintegrating along tribal lines. People are suffering. They are being tortured. There is no food, no medicine, and no public services.
My message to the South Sudanese people is this: The country has reached a point where you must take ownership of its destiny. Do not leave it in the hands of Salva Kiir. Our people must resist to save their lives and their future.
We need a second liberation in South Sudan to save the nation and achieve just and lasting peace. Thank you.