South Sudan minister resigns, declares loyalty to exiled rebel leader Riek Machar
A South Sudanese minister on Friday resigned from his post and declared his allegiance to the opposition, becoming the second high-level resignation this week in the war-ravaged nation.
Lieutenant General Gabriel Duop Nam, the minister of labour, sent a one-page letter saying he would join the rebel faction led by exiled rebel leader Riek Machar.
Duop was appointed labour minister in August 2016 by First Vice President Taban Deng having been appointed by Machar, serving as Minister of Interior from April-July 2016.
According to Reuters, the authenticity of the letter was reaffirmed by two rebel spokesmen. The government spokesman however declined to comment.
South Sudan has been at war since December 2013, when President Salva Kiir accused his then deputy Riek Machar of plotting to overthrow his government. Machar denied the claims but then went on to mobilize a rebel force to fight the government.
A peace deal signed in 2015 has continually been violated by both sides, with the UN warning that if an intervention is not carried out soon, the world’s youngest nation might slide into full genocide.
