Nasir Army Desertions Spark Turmoil in South Sudan Military Command

The South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) are facing internal upheaval after more than 150 soldiers deserted from their posts in Nasir County, Upper Nile State, in a move that has shaken the military command structure and highlighted deep-seated ethnic and political tensions.

The deserters, primarily from the Murle ethnic group, were reportedly forcibly conscripted in Juba, deployed to Malakal, and later stationed in Nasir.

According to the Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO), which facilitated their safe passage, the soldiers fled on May 25 and traveled through Wanding and Akobo before reaching Nyandit—a remote area on the border between Jonglei State and the Greater Pibor Administrative Area.

“This group of 147 SSPDF soldiers fled a conflict that was not theirs,” said SPLA-IO spokesperson Col. Lam Paul Gabriel.

“They were forced into a tribal war that serves political interests in the capital, not the people of South Sudan.”

While initial rumors suggested the deserters were defecting to join SPLA-IO, the opposition has denied such claims.

Instead, SPLA-IO insists it only provided humanitarian assistance and protection during the group’s movement.

The defection, confirmed by Jonglei State Minister of Gender, Child and Social Welfare William Kuol Chol, has raised alarm within the government. Chol stated that approximately 175 individuals, including Murle and members of other communities, had reached Nyandit and were continuing toward Likuangole in Greater Pibor.

Their organized movement and uncertain leadership have fueled speculation over a possible emerging armed faction or political realignment within the military, at a time when the SSPDF is already engaged in active conflict with opposition forces in Upper Nile and Jonglei states.

Compounding the crisis, SPLA-IO accused the SSPDF and Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of launching a coordinated attack on its base in Keweji on the same day as the desertions. The attack was reportedly repelled with heavy losses for the attackers.

A separate SSPDF offensive in Motot, Jonglei, also ended in retreat, according to opposition sources.

With tensions escalating and no official word yet from the SSPDF leadership, the desertions from Nasir may mark a turning point, not only in military morale but also in the broader struggle for peace and unity in South Sudan.