Kiir Prominent military and political opponent signs peace agreement with South Sudan in Portsudan

Port Sudan: Sudanese Echoes

One of the most prominent political and military opposition factions in South Sudan signed a peace agreement with the government of Salva Kiir Mayardit, under the auspices of the Director of the General Intelligence Service in Sudan, General Ahmed Ibrahim Mufaddal.

The agreement, which was signed and consulted in the administrative capital of Portsudan, brought together representatives of the People’s Movement in Opposition, the (Keit Gwang) faction led by the movement’s leader, General Simon Gatwech Dual, while the government of President Salva Kiir was represented by the Director of the Internal Security Service, General Akec Tong Aleu, and the Head of Military Intelligence, General Garang Stephen Marshall.

The agreement includes, among other provisions, the implementation of security arrangements between the two parties, the integration of the forces that defected from (the Sudan Liberation Movement in Opposition – the Keit Gwang faction) into the official army of South Sudan, and ensuring the faction’s participation in power.

The Sudanese Intelligence Director, General Ahmed Ibrahim Mufaddal, who was in the middle of the platform of the signatories to the agreement, described it as “historic”, and said, “We were able to reach an agreement between the government of South Sudan and the opposition People’s Movement, the “Keit Gwang faction”, after a second and final round of consultations supervised by the General Intelligence Service under the close sponsorship and follow-up of President of the Transitional Sovereignty Council, General Abdel-Fattah Al-Burhan.” Mufaddal pointed out that Sudan, despite the existential war it is waging, has remained and will remain interested in the stability and security of the South Sudan, “because the stability of South Sudan means the stability of Sudan.”

In January 2022, the parties in the state of South Sudan signed a peace agreement in Khartoum under the sponsorship of Abdel-Fattah Al-Burhan, putting an end to a devastating war that broke out in the Upper Nile and whose flames almost spread and swept through the state of the South Sudan.

Observers described the Khartoum agreement at the time as the “peace of the brave.” Mufaddal said, “Sudan has put its expertise and capabilities to help our brothers in South Sudan, out of a sense of responsibility to end wars and disputes, and as a supporter and sponsor in order to reach lasting peace.

He praised the two parties for responding to the call for peace and signing the agreement, noting that signing the agreement will open the door to security stability in all border areas between the two countries, especially the Lou Nuer region, “because the “Keit Gawang faction” is one of the influential factions in the region, and its joining the peace procession will be an incentive for others to abandon the option of war in South Sudan.”

Mufaddal reiterated his confirmation that Sudan will continue to strongly support the government of Salva Kiir, urging all parties to implement what was agreed upon because “it means more stability and progress for the state of South Sudan.”

For his part, the leader of the People’s Movement in Opposition, the “Keit Gawang faction”, General Simon Garwech, confirmed his determination to move forward and said: “We are not walking backwards.. We are walking forward.” Simon condemned the crimes committed by the Rapid Support Forces Militia in Sudan, dragging some of the people of South Sudan into the fire of war, and said: “The Rapid Support Forces caused us the worst thing.. I am with Salva Kiir together. I am with Al-Burhan together.”

Meawhile, the Director of the Internal Security Service in South Sudan, General Akec Tong Aliu, expressed his happiness at signing the peace agreement with General Simon Garwech, praising the Sudanese government and the General Intelligence Service that supervised the consultations leading up to the signing, and said, “We will abide by the agreement that we signed under the supervision of the Sudanese government and sponsoriship of the General Intelligence Service.