South Sudan: Juba signs peace agreement with South Sudan Democratic Movement/Army (SSDM/A) rebel group of George Athor
South Sudan on Monday said that it signed a peace agreement with the South Sudan Democratic Movement/Army, (SSDM/A), one of the rebel groups formerly under the leadership George Athor Deng Dut, before his death in December last year.
Barnaba Marial Benjamin, South Sudan’s minister of information and broadcasting on Monday announced the signing of the deal with the rebel group, describing it as an important step to resolving conflict in the seven month old country.
Athor began his rebellion after loosing the Jonglei state gubernatorial race to the incumbent, Kuol Manyang Juuk, who had been backed by South Sudan’s ruling party, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM). Before his death Athor’s SSDM was believed to be the most powerful of the various rebel groups operating in South Sudan.
The 27 February agreement “was signed by Thomas Duoth on behalf of the government of South Sudan and Peter Kuol Chol Awan on their behalf”, Marial announced on Monday.