The minister expressed the statements in his briefing to President Salva Kiir on Thursday, when he delivered a comprehensive report on the overall security situation across the country

By Chuol Chanyong

The Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs, General Chol Thon Balok has said the national army, SSPDF, is committed to their constitutional duty of defending the territorial integrity of the country, its people, and their properties. 

The minister expressed the statements in his briefing to President Salva Kiir on Thursday, when he delivered a comprehensive report on the overall security situation across the country, focusing on developments along the border. 

This briefing comes just days after elements of the South Sudan Defense Forces and the Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) exchanged gunfire along the shared border of Kajo Keji County in late July, which resulted in the deaths of six soldiers- from from South Sudan and one Ugandan soldier. 

On Wednesday, the government of Central Equatoria State revealed that an estimated 16,000 people were displaced in Kajo-Keji County following the incursion by the Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF).

The humanitarian upsurge come just days after a tragic attack earlier in the month in the Lire area of Kajo-Keji by unidentified uniformed personnel, an incident that sparked fear and mass displacement, with many residents fleeing across the border into Uganda.  

And in Yei River County, the SSPDF had to move in to restore control in Lasu and Libogo after joint opposition forces from SPLM/A-IO and NAS launched coordinated attacks on August 16.

However, despite these incidences, the Defence Minister reported that the overall security conditions have remained stable. He emphasized the army’s readiness and continued commitment to protecting the nation.

For his part, President Kiir commended the leadership and personnel of the SSPDF for their efforts in maintaining law and order across the country, praising the army for its dedication and steadfast discipline. He reaffirmed the government’s unwavering support for the army’s mission. 

In an effort to calm the military confrontations and strengthen ties, Uganda’s Chief of Defense Forces, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, visited Juba on August 9, where he met his South Sudan counterpart General Dau Atourjong.

The Chiefs of Defence Forces discussed the need to address the deteriorating security situation along the shared border, later jointly meeting the Vice President for the Economic Cluster, Dr. Benjamin Bol Mel . 

The two Chiefs of defense chiefs affirmed their firm commitment to maintaining their long-standing historical bilateral relations in traditional areas of mutual interest and trust.

On Tuesday, a high-level meeting held at the Defence and Intelligence headquarters in Mbuya, Kampala Uganda, co-chaired by the UPDF Commander Land Force, Lt. Gen. Kayanja Muhanga, and the SSPDF Chief of Defence Forces, Gen. Dau Aturjong declared further cooperation between the two militaries in addressing security concerns along their borders.

Speaking on behalf of Gen Kainerugaba, Lt Gen Muhanga highlighted the longstanding ties between the two armies.

“All the struggles in the past that the SPLA went through, we were together,” he said. “Even here in Uganda, during our struggles against the rebels of Joseph Kony, the South Sudan Defence Forces stood with us.”