Following communal violence in northern Unity. President Salva Kiir of South Sudan has replaced Major-General William Manyang Mayak, the commander of the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) 4th Infantry Division, with former militia commander General Matthew Puljang.
This decision comes after recent clashes in northern Unity State. Sources from the headquarters of the 4th Infantry Division in Baar, Rubkona, have informed Sudans Post that Manyang was dismissed last week. Some SSPDF commanders blamed him for negligence after violence broke out along the Unity State-Ruweng border. On Sunday, armed youth from Rubkona County attacked the western parts of the Ruweng Administrative Area as revenge for a cattle raid on a Leek Community camp the previous week. This raid left five people injured, including three women and a young girl.
The escalating conflict on the Unity-Ruweng border has sparked outrage on social media, with many citizens blaming the 4th Infantry Division command for failing to contain the latest offensive by the Leek Community youth. Manyang traveled to Juba on Sunday, the same day as the clashes, for what he described as a “short visit.” Manyang stated that he had deployed troops to address the escalating violence between the two youth groups. SSPDF sources in Baar indicated that Manyang had been recalled to Juba the previous week by President Kiir, who also serves as the head of the SSPDF.
A senior army officer in Baar, who chose not to disclose their name, confirmed that General Puljang had taken over command of the 4th Infantry Division. A small ceremony was held at Baar to welcome Puljang on Monday, the day after his predecessor’s departure. Puljang previously commanded the “Special Forces” in Western Unity State and was formerly the commander of the South Sudan Liberation Army, a militia group mainly composed of the Bull Nuer community of western Unity State. A section of his forces, known as “Terchuong,” has been accused of human rights abuses in Rubkona, Guit, Mayendit, and Leer counties during the five-year conflict that has devastated South Sudan’s economy since 2013. Initially, Puljang fought against President Kiir in 2011 but later returned with significant force and weaponry in late 2013, aligning himself with the government against opposition forces led by Riek Machar. His forces were later renamed the “Special Forces,” with Puljang serving as the commander. In April 2020, the special forces were dissolved and Puljang was recalled to Juba for deployment, according to an order from the SSPDF chief of defense forces at that time. In May 2021, two sources close to Puljang said that he had a disagreement with presidential security advisor Tut Gatluak. Puljang allegedly refused to implement an order from Gatluak to “kill” General Stephen Buay Rolnyang, the commander of the 5th Infantry Division, when he was arrested in 2018. Gatluak reportedly wanted Buay to be “finished” on the spot and not brought to Juba, where he would likely.