The South Sudanese Civil War erupted in 2013 as a result of disputes between President Salva Kiir Mayardit and Vice President Riek Machar. The Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), the country's military, consequently fractured into pro-Kiir loyalists and pro-Machar forces; the latter formed the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-in-Opposition. Attempts to end the civil war peacefully repeatedly failed.[1] In mid-2017, political struggles within the government resulted in Kiir deposing SPLA chief of staff Paul Malong Awan and putting him under house arrest.[2] Malong was characterized as a powerful Dinka nationalist.[3] Some followers of Malong in the SPLA rebelled after his arrest.[2]
Malong was released from his house arrest in November 2017 so that he could travel to Kenya for medical reasons.[4] In January 2018, one of Malong's former followers, Chan Garang Lual, organized a raid into Juba.[2] On 9 April 2018, Malong officially rebelled and announced the SS-UF would be his new organisation to challenge President Kiir. Malong accused Kiir of turning the nation into a failed state after looting the country's resources,[5] and claimed that the SS-UF would fight for a new government system which supported federalism. The group also announced that it would become part of the South Sudan Opposition Alliance, a coalition of South Sudanese opposition factions.[4] Several SPLA commanders and soldiers who had formerly been loyal to Malong, including those who had become part of the SPLM-IO in the meantime, joined his new force.[6]
In August 2018, much of the SS-UF's Equatorian force surrendered to the government. About 300 fighters, led by Ajang Ajang Lino (SS-UF political leader), Chan Garang Lual (SS-UF chief of staff), and Garang Garang (SS-UF secretary general), agreed to an amnesty deal signed in Uganda. They consequently rejoined the SPLA.[6]
The SPLM-IO and the government eventually agreed to a peace deal, but other rebel groups like the SS-UF were not included. In August 2019, the SS-UF and two other factions, namely Thomas Cirillo's South Sudan National Democratic Alliance (SSNDA) and Pagan Amum's Real Sudan People's Liberation Movement (R-SPLM) resolved to unite their activities under the "United South Sudanese Opposition Movements" (SSOMA) umbrella organization.[7]
Government of South Sudan