location: Juba
notes: Change to armed group: a group of six officers (including senior officers such as Lt. Col. Chan Garang and Major Aguer Atak Ariik) and 200 men, including members of the Mathiang Anyoor militia, defected from the ranks of the SPLA, denouncing the government's unwillingness to free former army chief Paul Malong from house arrest in Juba, delayed salaries and discrimination of other tribes. Some were said to have fled to an unnamed neihbouring country; others were said to have gathered north of Juba. A week later, Garang said the group had joined the ranks of the SPLA-IO led by Machar and claimed to be preparing military offensives against the government in Juba. The officers had allegedly attempted to free Malong from his residence but their attempts were foiled and led to the defection. The move raised fears of divisions within the army. Date unclear - report dated 29 October. The following week, president Kiir ordered the deployment of hundreds of forces around Malong's residence and the disarmament of his guards. The guards refused to hand their weapons, sparking further tensions in Juba.
target_text: location: Juba, fatalities: 0