Peace deal still intact, SSPDF Chief assures

CDF defends peace pact, orders government troops in Jonglei State to respect the ceasefire and avoid initiating attacks on opposition positions.

By Samuel Yuang

SSPDF Chief of Defence Forces, General Santino Deng Wol, has firmly stated that the 2018 peace agreement remains fully in force, dismissing claims of its collapse amid renewed tensions and clashes in parts of the country. The CDF has ordered government troops in Jonglei State to respect the ceasefire and avoid initiating attacks on opposition positions.

Speaking during an official visit to an SSPDF military base in Ayod County, Gen. Wol told soldiers that dialogue, not violence, is the only way to resolve outstanding political differences.

“We say the agreement did not collapse; we are still in the agreement,” he declared. “Fighting is not a solution — dialogue comes first.”

His comments come as fears grow over the fragility of the peace pact signed in 2018 between President Salva Kiir and opposition groups led by First Vice President Riek Machar, who is currently under detention in Juba. Recent clashes and rising political tensions have led many observers to question whether the deal can still hold.

Gen. Wol emphasized that the military stands committed to full implementation of the agreement, including the long-stalled process of unifying rival forces into a single national army, a core provision meant to stabilize the country after five years of civil war that left hundreds of thousands dead.

The agreement the government signed, we as the army will support because we are the force that protects the people of South Sudan, he said.

He issued clear orders to SSPDF personnel deployed across Jonglei State: Do not attack the SPLA-IO forces in their positions because we are in peace. Fight only in self-defence.

The army chief also issued a stern warning regarding the second phase of training for unified forces, saying any service member who refuses to take part will face a choice: disarm and return to civilian life, or be treated as a criminal.

Since its signing, the peace agreement has faced repeated delays, particularly in security sector reforms and force integration — steps widely seen as essential to sustainable peace and stability in South Sudan. Gen. Wol’s visit and statements are part of efforts to reinforce compliance with the ceasefire and reassure both troops and the public that the peace process remains on track.

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“We say the agreement did not collapse; we are still in the agreement. Fighting is not a solution — dialogue comes first,” Gen. Santino Deng Wol, Chief of the SSPDF.