Over 1,000 fighters from the South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA) have defected to the Sudan People’s Liberation Army–In Opposition (SPLA-IO) after a rally held on Saturday in Akobo County, Jonglei State, according to local officials.

The rally, organized by the SPLA-IO’s Third Brigade, gathered military officers, police, National Security Service personnel, and SSOA officers.

SSOA, a signatory to the 2018 peace agreement, is an umbrella coalition of opposition parties currently divided into two Juba-based factions led by Vice President Josephine Lagu and Agriculture Minister Hussein Abdelbagi.

At the event, SSOA Brigadier General Much Dak Banang, who previously commanded SSOA forces in the Greater Lou area, formally announced his defection along with his troops.

Banang explained that the move came after SSOA political leaders in Juba met late last month and decided to integrate their forces into the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF), the national army.

However, grassroots commanders in the Greater Lou Nuer area rejected the integration, pointing to the incomplete implementation of the 2018 peace deal and ongoing military operations that harm civilians.

“We do not agree with abandoning our cause,” Banang declared to the crowd, directly addressing SPLA-IO leader Riek Machar.

He confirmed that his forces had officially reported to the SPLA-IO’s Third Brigade commander, Brig. Gen. Thor Gang, on December 27 and would now operate under his authority.

During the rally, Brig. Gen. Thor Gang urged SPLA-IO forces to refrain from targeting civilians or their property as they prepare to advance toward Juba.

He accused the government of breaching the 2018 revitalized peace agreement and emphasized that the conflict is strictly between SPLA-IO and government forces.

“This conflict is between SPLA-IO and government forces,” Thor stated, while appealing to communities in areas such as Bor and Murle to grant safe passage to advancing SPLA-IO fighters.

South Sudan continues to face fragility despite the 2018 peace deal that ended a five-year civil war, with recurring mutual accusations of ceasefire breaches and stalled security arrangements.

In recent developments, SPLA-IO forces have overrun SSPDF positions in the Lou Nuer regions of Nyirol, Uror, and Akobo, fueling fears of renewed large-scale violence.