South Sudan’s warring fighters ordered to immediately report to cantonment sites
July 21, 2019 (JUBA) – The Joint Defense Board (JDB) has ordered all South Sudanese government troops and rebel forces to assemble at the nearest cantonment sites or barracks with immediate effect.
The heads of government and opposition security institutions attended the meeting.
“You are directed to notify the JDB of the completion of this process not later than 31 July, 2019,” partly reads the letter from the JDB.
More than 20 cantonment sites have been selected across the country, but ever since the signing of a peace deal in 2018, there are challenges in creating the sites, where troops and rebels are screened, trained and integrated into one force.
On May 3, the warring parties agreed to extend the pre-transitional period for six months to address outstanding issues like security arrangements, which include assembling and screening of forces, determining the number of states and demarcation of boundaries.
South Sudan descended into civil war in late 2013 and the conflict has seen tens of thousands of people killed and millions displaced.
In August 2015, a peace accord was signed, but it later on collapsed following renewed violence in the capital, Juba in July 2016.
South Sudan’s arch-foes signed a revitalized peace deal to end the country’s civil war in September last year. The revitalized peace accord stipulates that there shall be a transitional government formed in South Sudan after eight months of the pre-transitional period for 36 months.
(ST)