General Khor Chuol of SPLA-IO joins Kiir, accuses Machar of nepotism

General Khor was the deputy commander of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition and did not state why he decided to leave the main armed opposition group, but accused Machar of turning the group into a ‘family company’.

Sudan main armed opposition commander General James Khor Chuol Giet has declared his intention to join South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) under President Salva Kiir Mayardit, days after speculations that he was joining former SPLA-IO chief of staff General Simon Gatwech Dual who defected from Machar last week.

General Khor was the deputy commander of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition and did not state why he decided to leave the main armed opposition group, but accused Machar of turning the group into a ‘family company’.

“I am declaring my return to the Government under His Excellency President Kiir under the historical tree, the Fig Tree (Ngop) and President Kiir should be proud of that because he knows this Big Tree very well in Malual Gahoth,” General Khor said in a statement from Maiwut County this afternoon.

He accused South Sudan’s First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny of turning the SPLM-IO into a “family company, SPLM/SPLA (IO) of despot, corrupt, tribalist and nepotist Leader Riek Machar Teny Dhurgon and his wife Angelina Jany Teny.”

He defected along with General Kang Riek Diew and Major General Lol Nguoth Chom to the government.