SPLA troops to deploy in Khartoum

SPLA troops line up during a public rally in Rumbek on January 10, 2005 to celebrate a final peace agreement with the Khartoum government that was signed in Kenya January 9. (AFP).

KHARTOUM, Sudan, Jun 22, 2005 (UPI) — The army of southern Sudanese rebels will deploy 1,500 troops in Khartoum in the next few days forming the nucleus of a joint force with the regular army.

A spokesman for the Sudanese People’s Liberation Army, led by John Garang, said the move will be in conformity with the peace agreement signed with the Sudanese government in Kenya last January.

Under the agreement an initial joint force of 3,000 troops will be set up in Khartoum to be increased later on to 29,000.

Of the joint army 24,000 troops will be deployed in southern Sudan, 6,000 in the region of the Blue Nile and 3,000 will stay in the capital.