Gen. Simon Gatwech Dual (File:SP)
Khartoum, February 3, 2026
By Savanna Radio Staff Writer…
The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army in Opposition (SPLM/A-IO) Kitguang faction has officially withdrawn from the Port Sudan Peace Agreement, according to a statement issued by its leadership on Tuesday. In a letter addressed to H.E. General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, President of the Sudan Sovereign Council, the faction’s Chairman and Commander-in-Chief, General Simon Gatwech Dual, announced the group’s decision to terminate its participation in the peace accord.
The letter cited unresolved issues and what the faction described as a lack of progress in the implementation of key provisions of the Port Sudan Agreement, which was intended to promote dialogue, power-sharing, and stability among South Sudanese armed opposition movements. General Gatwech reaffirmed his group’s commitment to the pursuit of genuine peace through dialogue that ensures inclusivity, security reforms, and national reconciliation. However, he emphasized that the current arrangement “no longer represents the aspirations and interests of the movement.”
The Port Sudan Peace Agreement with the SPLM/A-IO Kitgwang faction was signed on 2 February 2025 in Port Sudan, with Sudan acting as guarantor. The agreement was signed on Sunday, 2 February 2025, in Port Sudan, during talks brokered by Sudanese authorities. It set a 12‑month implementation period, which is why the faction is now saying the deal expired or failed after one year.
Core elements of the Port Sudan Peace Agreement include, full integration of SPLM/A‑IO Kitgwang (KD) forces into the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF), after reorganization and training as an official military formation. Appointment of Gen. Simon Gatwech Dual as Deputy Commander‑in‑Chief of the national army as part of the security arrangements. Deployment of an advance delegation of Kitgwang leaders and officers to Juba to operationalize and follow up on the agreement.
“The Current SPLM regime exacerbates confusions, and will continue to hold the country hostage unless disolved to allow free association for free election”, General Dual noted in the letter. The withdrawal marks a new chapter in the complex dynamics of South Sudan’s political and armed opposition landscape, raising concerns about the future of ongoing reconciliation efforts and security arrangements under regional mediation.
Savanna Radio will continue to monitor reactions from the Sudanese authorities, other South Sudanese political groups, and regional stakeholders involved in the peace process.
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