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Tuesday, June 1, 2010     FOR YOUR EYES ONLY

Guerrilla army in Sudan to purchase air force with oil money

LONDON — The autonomous region of southern Sudan plans to establish an air force.

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The Sudanese People's Liberation Army has been drafting plans to train pilots and acquire a range of aircraft for a military that could confront the Khartoum regime. SPLA members, who in 2004 formally ended their rebellion against Khartoum, said the planned military would help in any decision on whether to unify or separate from northern Sudan.

"We want to transform SPLA from a guerrilla force into a veritable military," SPLA spokesman Maj. Gen. Dame Koala said.


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Koala, in an interview with the London-based A-Sharq Al Awsat daily, said the SPLA does not have an air force or navy. The spokesman did not cite possible suppliers of either aircraft or warships for the southern Sudanese force.

The Khartoum regime has warned that the establishment of an air force or navy in the south would violate the peace agreement.

Officials said the accord also limits the number of soldiers in the south to 39,000.

But SPLA representatives said the southern movement would purchase military platforms from funds garnered from the region's crude oil industry. They said recruitment for the new military would take place in villages throughout the south.

The United States has been helping SPLA strengthen its security capacity. The administration of U.S. President Barack Obama has contracted the U.S. firm DynCorp International to train SPLA elements. The contract was reported to be $40 million.

"We intend to provide all services to our citizens throughout cities and villages," SPLA secretary-general Pagan Amoun said.



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