SSPDF Army Spokesperson says no battalion deserted duty post, called NAS, claims false rumors.

The Defense Command yesterday denounced as false rumors and propaganda allegations that two battalions of the South Sudan People’s Defense Force (SSPDF) had threatened to quit their posts due to abuse and a lack of wage payments.

Maj. Gen. Lul Rui Kong, Army Spokesperson, said, “These are just misinformation aimed to foment unrest in the army foldup.”

“Despite the few problems we face not just as an army, but also as a nation,” he continued.

He added that the military was remained at cantonment sites around the country awaiting further instructions and had not deserted, as was previously reported.

Rejecting the charge, he said that the armed troops had got their wages and that there were measures in place to transport food supplies to their locations.

Unconfirmed claims surfaced three days ago via various media sites purporting to be from the National Salvation Front (NAS) that two South Sudan army battalions in Central Equatoria State fled their barracks in separate places due to pay delays, resulting in starvation and sickness.

The outfit is commanded by General Thomas Cirilo Swaka, a former South Sudan Deputy Army Chief, according to the statement. They claimed to have identified the greatest defection through the NAS Military Intelligence Service.

“The NAS Leadership would like to educate its members, the people of South Sudan, and members of the international community about the recent development of the desertion of the SSPDF and their affiliated militia from duty areas,” says a statement from the NAS.

It also shows that the bases where the defection occurred were Lobonok, Lainya, Yei, Mundiri, Movolo, and Yambio.