November 18th, 2018 (Nyamilepedia) – South Sudan’s army, during the would-be thirty-six month transitional period due to commence next year, will be reduced to 112,000 forces, an opposition leader told the Nyamilepedia of Friday.
South Sudan government and opposition groups signed the long-awaited revitalized peace deal in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa to end the ongoing civil war in the young African nation.
The agreement defined that there is no army in South Sudan and as such, there is a need that a new professional army is formed.
Speaking to the Nyamilepedia in an exclusive interview at his residence in Khartoum on Friday, the leader of the South Sudan United Movement (SSUM) Gen. Peter Gatdet Yaka said the army will be reduced to 112, 000 during the transitional period including a 12,000 Joint Integrated Units (JIUs) which will be brought from the two sides equally.
“What has been agreed upon is that the army will be reduced to 112,000 during the TGoNU. 12, 000 JIUS divided on the basis of 50/50 with the government and another 50,000 from the government and a force of 50,000 from the opposition, all these will make up the 112,000,” Gen. Gatdet told the Nyamilepedia in Khartoum on Friday.
Gatdet said the new army if formed, will be there during the transitional period until elections are held and the new leader will decide to increase or decrease the army.
Asked of the likelihood of disagreement over who may be taken off in case there would be the reduction of forces, Garden said: “there will be another way that will be used by the parties to avoid such things to happen.”
Gen. Gatdet further said protection of VIPs will be done by individuals who will have a specific number of bodyguards where the general protection of Juba and other important towns will be done by the JIUs and RPF.
