South Sudan army appoints ex-Rubkona commissioner to lead Jonglei operations

JUBA – South Sudan’s army chief has appointed Major General Stephen Salam Maluit as the new operations commander for Northern Jonglei State, security sources told Sudans Post on Thursday.

Maluit, a former commissioner of Rubkona County in Unity State, replaces Major General Michael Makal Kuol, who currently commands the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) Division 12.

“The Chief of Defense Forces, General Paul Nang Majok, issued the order deploying Major General Maluit to head the Northern Jonglei operations this week,” a senior military source in Juba said, requesting anonymity because he was not authorized to brief the media.

“He is tasked with taking over the forces previously under General Makal and help clear the area from any threat to the nation which is coming from the SPLA-IO rebels,” the source added.

The command change takes place against the backdrop of ongoing violence and recent clashes between the SSPDF and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-in-Opposition (SPLA-IO) in northern Jonglei.

Fighting that erupted in late December has affected civilian areas in Nyirol, Uror, and Akobo counties, displacing thousands of residents.

A second security source familiar with the deployment confirmed the administrative change.

“This is a military rotation meant to streamline our operational command in that sector,” the second source said. “General Maluit is preparing to deploy and will coordinate directly with Division 12 units on the ground.”

Military headquarters in Juba has not publicly released details regarding specific new operational orders for the region.