Khartoum “airdropped” arms to S. Sudanese rebels, says report
June 2, 2015 (JUB) – Sudan may have supplied military weapons by air to the armed opposition forces fighting the South Sudanese government, a new report has revealed.
Some of the weapons examined by the CAR’s investigation team at South Sudan army headquarters in Upper Nile reportedly provided important details in the sources of arms supplied to the armed opposition forces led by the country’s former vice president-turned rebel, Riek Machar.
“Notably, the weapons and ammunition documented display clear evidence of damage sustained during airdrop to SPLA-iO units, which reportedly took place in September–October 2014,” says the 25-page report.
“Furthermore, the materiel is identical to previously documented arms and ammunition airdropped by Sudan to rebels in South Sudan in 2012, which provides strong indication of new, direct supplies from Sudan to SPLA-iO operations,” it added.
Fighting has, since December 2013, been ongoing between the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) and the SPLA-in Opposition (SPLA-iO) forces in the Greater Upper Nile region of South Sudan.
In the first three months of the crisis, the Upper Nile state capital, Malakal changed hands several times between the warring factions.
According to the report, ammunitions seized were damaged in a way suggesting they were airdropped and a closer scrutiny showed evidences, which directly point to Sudan army’s involvement.
“Most of the ammunition documented had suffered heavy impact damage, which is consistent with eyewitness reports that aircraft dropped materiel to SPLA-iO forces in September–October 2014,” says the new report.
DIRECT SUPPLY TO REBELS
“The composition of the documented materiel, and a precedent for airdropping identical materiel to rebel forces in South Sudan in 2012, prior to the current conflict, suggests direct supply from Sudan to SPLA-iO forces,” further said the report released 2 June.
The 7.62x39mm ammunition, bullets used in Kalashnikov-style assault rifles had “lateral impact damage, which is consistent with either free-fall dropping from an aircraft or very low altitude parachute dropping”.
According to the London-based research group, some 70% of these particular type of rifle round were made in Sudan in 2014.
“The recent date of manufacture is further evidence of direct supply from Khartoum to SPLA-iO forces,” the group said.
It said some ammunitions possessed by armed opposition forces were Chinese-made.
Officials from the armed opposition were not readily available to comment on the report.
In the past, however, the Sudanese government has repeatedly denied its alleged involvement in the conflict, but accuses its southern neighbour of supporting its rebels.
Fighting in South Sudan has worsened in recent weeks, as thousands have been displaced into United Nations protection of civilian sites (POCs) across the country.
Recently, aid agencies said that millions of people were facing hunger in South Sudan.
(ST)