December 13th 2013 (Nyamilepedia) – South Sudan President, Salva Kiir Mayardiit who is also the Supreme Commander of the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) has promoted and retired several veteran politicians of the South Sudan’s army.
In a degree, Kiir promoted to the rank of generals in the army the country’s vice president, James Wani Igga, former governor of Jonglei state and former defense minister John Kong Nyuon, incumbent defense minister Kuol Manyang Juk, Daniel Awet Akot and South Sudan’s foreign minister, Nhial Deng Nhial.
In a separate degree, Kiir retired them from the South Sudan’s army.
The leaders, who are now holding various positions in the government, had been in the South Sudan army since its inception 1983.
South Sudan descended into civil war in December 2013 following a flare-up of violence between senior South Sudan politicians during a national convention for the ruling SPLM party at Nyakuron cultural centre.
The disagreement at the political party instigated an armed confrontation between comrades in the Presidential Guards igniting a civil war in the young African nation.
A revitalized version of a 2015 peace deal was signed in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa by Kiir and his arch-rival Dr. Riek Machar to end the war.
The agreement came as a result of a lengthy IGAD effort to end the ongoing civil war which killed thousands and displaced millions.
