South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir Mayardit has appointed his 36-year-old son, Major General Atem Salva Kiir, as the new commander of the Presidential Guard, the elite military unit known as the Tiger Division.

The appointment was confirmed through an official military directive issued earlier this week. Major General Atem was promoted from the rank of brigadier general only days before taking up the new role. Prior to the appointment, he served as commander of the Special Force unit within the Internal Bureau of the National Security Service (NSS).

Colonel Garang Ateny Alier, assistant director of information and public relations for the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF), stated that the decision followed standard military procedures and was based on merit. “General Atem will carry out his duties as division commander because the assignment was made through the military command structure and has nothing to do with him being the president’s son,” Ateny said.

The Tiger Division is responsible for the protection of the president and other senior government officials. The unit has also been deployed in security operations in and around the capital, Juba.

Major General Atem Salva Kiir joined South Sudan’s security services in 2012 and has steadily risen through the ranks of the National Security Service. His rapid advancement has drawn public attention in recent years.

The appointment comes as South Sudan prepares for national elections scheduled for December 2026. President Kiir, 74, has led the country since it gained independence from Sudan in 2011.

This is not the first time a member of the president’s family has been given a senior position. In recent years, Kiir has also appointed another son, Thiik Salva Kiir Mayardit, to a role in the Office of the President, and his daughter Adut Salva Kiir as Senior Presidential Envoy for Special Programmes.

Military officials have insisted that the latest appointment was made strictly according to established command procedures.

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