Khartoum state mobilizes paramilitary brigades to support Sudan’s army
March 27, 2012 (KHARTOUM) – The governor of Khartoum, Abdel Rahman al-Khidir, on Tuesday announced that his state has prepared four brigades of the paramilitary Popular Defense Forces (PDF) to support the country’s army in repelling “aggressions” by neighboring South Sudan.
South Sudan claimed SAF started the confrontation and later announced that its army had occupied Heglig, a claim denied by SAF.
Helgig’s confrontations, the most serious between the two countries since South Sudan split in July last year, prompted Khartoum to cancel a planned summit between President Omer Al-Bashir and his South Sudanese counterpart Salva Kiir Mayardit in Juba.
Earlier this month, Al-Bashir declared a state of mobilization of PDF forces to help SAF counter allied rebels of the Sudanese Revolutionary Forces (SAF) which Khartoum accuses Juba of backing.
Furthermore, Al-Bashir on Monday formed a high committee for alertness and mobilization of “Jihadists.”
The committee is chaired by First Vice-President Ali Osman Mohammed Taha and its members include the defense minister, the director-general of the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS), the PDF’s general coordinator and the Khartoum State’s governor.
Khartoum’s governor Al-Khidir said while addressing a gathering of traders in Al-Souk Al-Arabi in downtown Khartoum on Tuesday that the country would not stay silent in the face of South Sudan’s attacks.
He revealed that his state had mobilized four PDF brigades to repulse attack targeting the country’s borders and oilfields.
“We are not warmongers and when the president of the republic decided to visit Juba he did so in demonstration of his keenness on peace,” Al-Khidir told the crowd.
However, he added that “the enemies’” deeds contradict their sayings and accused Juba of turning against the outcome of the visit of the South Sudanese delegation to Khartoum.
Al-Khidir said that Sudan is ready for war if imposed on it. He told the traders that even the funds earmarked for developing Al-Souk Al-Arabi would be diverted to support soldiers in the battle fields.
(ST)