Khartoum governor says PDF vital in fending off security threats
March 17, 2011 (KHARTOUM) – The governor of Khartoum state Abdel-Rahman Al-Khidir stressed that the Popular Defense Forces (PDF) has an important role to play in deterring security threats against the country.
Al-Khidir spoke at an event in Omdurman Islamic University commemorating the 14th anniversary of a battle between the PDF and a force from the Sudan people Liberation Army (SPLA) attempting to take over Southern Sudan capital of Juba during the civil war years.
82 PDF fighters are believed to have been killed at the time and 33 of them were from the university.
The Khartoum governor said that 37,000 PDF members not only protect the nation but also contribute to development projects. He added that the state is working to match the university graduates to job opportunities.
The PDF role has largely been diminished since the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement between the North and South. The latter is set to break away next July after its citizens decided to establish their own state in the self-determination right afforded to them by the peace accord.
However, many reports indicated that the PDF has been part of government forces battling Darfur rebels since the conflict broke out in 2003. Khartoum was blamed for mass atrocities against civilians in the course of the military operations.
At least 300,000 people have been killed in Darfur and 1.8 million people forced to flee their homes since non-Arab rebels first rose up against the Arab-dominated Khartoum regime, the United Nations says.
Two years ago the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Sudan’s President Omer Hassan al-Bashir to face charges of committing genocide during the country’s seven-year Darfur conflict, including seven counts of crimes against humanity and war crimes.
The governor of South Kordofan Ahmed Haroun and militia leader Ali Kushayb also face ICC charges for their roles in the Darfur conflict. All three refused to surrender to the court.
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Timsah
PDF BANDITS
Yeah,Lick your wounds!!
It is good to commemorate how SPLA had crushed you in Kit,Aswa and Parajok.We were able to inflict heavy casualties on PDF though armed to teeth,What we had was determination to our just cause.The SPLA won the Battle,all of PDF GUYS died in vain in South Sudan,they were defending UNJUST CAUSE.Likewise,they are being defeated in Darfur.
Timsah
DeltaBravo
Khartoum governor says PDF vital in fending off security threats
Are they telling the truse that 82 die during Juba OPeration betweeen SPLA and PDF? I dnt think so, this is just another way to fool the Students like they did before in 90s.in Ashwa we found a lot of them on the ground. Theywere trying to cross the Ashwa river.