SSPDF soldier awaits approval for deployment in D.R Congo, Lul Ruai

By Adia Jildo

Over 700 soldiers who were to be deployed to Goma region of D.R Congo for a peace mission have been left stuck at the border as they await approval from the Congolese authorities.

Lul Ruai the SSPDF spokesperson told Juba Echo that the forces have so far finished their necessary processes and on standby for deployment on approval.

“There was a colonel from DR Congo that was coordinating with our security forces, that colonel came and visited our forces. He went back to follow the issue of our approval,” he said.

“It is a process. It’s a multi-regional force that are being deployed. Maybe as soon as the coordination is completed with the Congolese authorities,”

Last week.

The President of the Republic of South Sudan Salva Kiir Mayardit have taken a lead to deploy 720 of the best ranked soldiers from SSPDF to the regional pace keeping force to Congo.

The forces that were supposed to be in D.R Congo latest January have passed datelines severely.

Lul said, “We have not been communicated to when it will happen. Maybe as soon as when the coordination is completed with the Congolese authorities.”

According to the CONTINENT newspaper, residents of Goma took to the streets to protest ahead of the planned arrival of the SSPDF troops that were to join their Kenyan counterpart as part of the Regional forces from East Africa

The Colonel presumably came last week to Yambio to check on the security forces who have been amped in Yambio to complete their necessary requirement before they could be taken in Congo for the mission