The Chief of Defence Forces of the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF), General Santino Deng Wol, visited more than 3,000 former SPLM-IO fighters in Western Equatoria State on Saturday as the government prepares to register, verify and integrate them into the army.
Wol visited the forces at Lii-Rangu, accompanied by Western Equatoria Governor Badagbu Daniel Rimbasa and a delegation of senior SSPDF officers, including Garang Ateny Alier, assistant director for information and public relations.
More than 3,000 former SPLM-IO fighters are taking part in the process, according to the SSPDF, while additional forces are being mobilized to report for registration, verification and integration.
The fighters left the SPLM-IO in 2025 and reported to the headquarters of the SSPDF’s 6th Infantry Division in Western Equatoria, according to the military.
Speaking during the visit, Wol said he was in the state on the directive of President Salva Kiir Mayardit to oversee the registration, verification and integration process.
He urged the former opposition fighters to remain disciplined, stay out of politics and focus on protecting South Sudan and its citizens.
Wol also said the government would provide uniforms and salaries to the fighters after their integration into the national army.
Peace process
Governor Rimbasa welcomed the integration process, saying it would contribute to peace, stability and the unification of the country’s organized forces.
He commended the former SPLM-IO fighters for joining the integration process and urged other armed groups outside the government system to come forward for registration and integration.
Meanwhile, Garang Ateny appealed to armed groups still carrying arms to abandon armed struggle and join the peace process.
He said the delegation’s visit was part of efforts to organize and integrate members of holdout groups who had reported to the 6th Infantry Division headquarters.
Garang urged those still outside the peace process to come forward, warning that continued fighting would cause further suffering among South Sudanese.
“We don’t need more suffering for our people,” Garang said.
He said the integration of former opposition fighters into the country’s organized forces was part of efforts to implement the peace process and promote lasting peace and stability.
Integration
The acting commander of the 6th Infantry Division in Western Equatoria, Bior Kuir Deng, said the fighters had been waiting for the integration process.
He urged them to remain at the training centre and participate fully in the registration, verification and integration programme.
The integration of rival forces has been a central but largely unfulfilled part of the 2018 peace agreement, which called for opposition forces to be unified with government troops under a single national command. Implementation of the security arrangements has faced repeated delays and setbacks.
The process was further complicated by renewed fighting and political tensions between government and opposition-aligned forces after First Vice President and opposition leader Riek Machar was placed under house arrest in Juba in March 2025.
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