South Sudan army spokesman Major-General Lul Ruai Koang [Photo by Al Jazeera English]JUBA — The South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) on Monday ordered members of the Agwellek Forces currently in Juba to report to the Terekeka County, Central Equatoria State, for screening and integration.
The order issued on Monday by military high command was announced by the SSPDF spokesperson, Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang.
According to the order, the soldiers are expected to begin reporting on September 15, 2026, to Terekeka County under the overall command of Lt. Gen. Johnson Olony Thabo, Assistant Chief of Defence Forces for Disarmament and Mobilization.
“All members of the Agwellek Forces that are currently in Juba are hereby ordered to report to the Terekeka Assembly Area, in Terekela County, Central Equatoria State. Reporting time commences on September 15th, 2026,” order partly read.
Gen. Lul said the command directed Agwellek forces currently deployed in Greater Tonj, Warrap State, to remain on standby for screening and integration into the SSPDF.
“Forces from Agwellek that are at the moment deployed in Greater Tonj, Warrap State, are hereby ordered to be on standby for the arrival of the screening and integration committee from SSPDF GHQs-Bilpam,” Gen. Lul said.
“The same applies to Agwellek forces currently deployed at Nyakeen (Bakeer-Wen) in Twic East County, Jonglei State.”
The order did not provide details on the number of Agwellek forces expected to report to the Terekeka assembly area or the timeline for completing the screening and integration process.
“The above orders are for immediate execution and are specifically applicable to all Agwellek forces under the overall command of Lt. Gen. Johnson Olony Thabo, Assistant Chief of Defence Forces for Disarmament and Mobilization.”
The Agwelek (also spelled Agwellek/Agwelek) Forces are an armed group in South Sudan that emerged in Upper Nile State, largely associated with the Shilluk community, and have historically been commanded by Gen. Johnson Olony.
Johnson Olony is the key commander of the Agwelek Forces.
The group was formally identified as the Agwelek Forces in 2015, after Olony’s forces broke with the government and fought alongside elements of the SPLM/A-IO.
In recent years, Olony’s forces have been incorporated into the government’s security arrangements to varying degrees.
The forces have not been integrated into the SSPDF and remain under Olony’s direct command, despite his position within the SSPDF.
