Paul Malong Awan’s camp South Sudan United Front and Army (SSUF/A) had suffered a significant blow after several senior party members resigned and allegedly defected to the government ahead of the second rounds of peace negotiations in Nairobi, Kenya.

The newly appointed Deputy Chief of Staff for Military Moral Orientation, the Secretary General and others tendered in their resignations citing “poor management of the movement”.

Makoi Majak, the Youth League leader, confirmed the defection, terming it as “insignificant.”

“If you look at the group, they’re a bunch of paper-tiger revolutionaries. Their defection to the government side does not affect the operations of the party. We have had such insignificant events happening in the past.”

He added that “negotiations between the SSOMA alliance and the government of South Sudan shall continue,” warning the government to disengage from trying to sabotage the talks by “buying” SSUF loyalists.

In the recent past, SSUF/A has lost members from its strongholds to the government led by President Kiir Mayardit.