South Sudan army admits acquisition of surface-to-air missiles

January 2, 2016 (JUBA) – The Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA), an official army of South Sudan, has admitted to have recently acquired supplies of shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles brought through the neighboring countries of Kenya and Uganda, prompting United States government to warn its citizens of danger to fly in South Sudan.

A high ranking military officer in the army and a longtime military ally of President Salva Kiir told Sudan Tribune on the New Year Eve that the army had obtained dozens of shoulder missiles, which were delivered to them via neighbouring Mombasa port of Kenya through Uganda.

“Yes, our military defense system will never remain the same. There is a great improvements in terms of weapons and training and we hope that the year 2016 will be a year in which the general command and the government will pay a significant attention to our strategic and master plan to modernize and professionalize the army in order to be a conventional army capable of defending the country, lives of our people and their resources,” said the high ranking military officer on Friday.

The original source of supply remains unclear, although critics of the government of president Kiir have pointed fingers to China, which is widely believed to have in the past sold huge consignments of assorted weapons, including amphibian tanks to help the government fight the rebels allied to the former vice-president, turned armed opposition leader, Riek Machar.

China never denied or confirmed whether or not it supplied the weapons. Officials at the ministry of petroleum and budget department at the ministry of finance and economic planning have, however, confirmed that the government had mortgaged crude oil to Chinese companies to acquire weapons because it was unable to pay cash to buy new weapons in 2014.

Government hardliners were exploring options to settle the conflict through military option with the opposition faction and had therefore pressed for such missiles portable air-defense systems to be acquired.

In recent days, air operations against armed opposition by the government forces appear to have been stepped up, particularly around the hot spot areas in Upper Nile region and where new rebel activities have emerged in the states of Equatoria region, particularly in Eastern and Western Equatoria.

Precise types of weapons and amount received remains subject of speculations. What is clear, according to military experts and those with working security knowledge of South Sudan, is that the weapons range from the primitive to highly sophisticated types of weapons found in China.

It is also unclear, even if the government had received the weapons, whether it has technical knowledge and necessary training to operate them effectively and with discipline.

Many experts cite lack of capacity and adequate training to handle and operate the weapons which have allegedly been received including attack helicopters whose pilots have in number of incidents dropped bombs on wrong targets, mostly on civilian inhabited areas instead of military suspected targets.

Multiple military and security sources claimed in a series of interviews with Sudan Tribune that the army has acquired sophisticated shoulder-fired Stinger missiles, which can hit planes flying over its airspace.

Early this month, the government warned to shoot down planes that will be illegally flying over the airspace of the new country without prior permission.

US WARNS ITS CITIZENS

In response to the recent acquisition of anti-aircraft missiles by the South Sudanese government, the embassy of the United States (US) in South Sudan on 31 December, 2015, issued a precautionary security statement warning its citizens in South Sudan or wishing to travel to South Sudan, and would wish to use air as a means of transport, to be very careful with their decisions.

“The US informs US citizens about the risks to civil aviation operating in South Sudan because of the ongoing armed conflict between the government and opposition and allied groups,” reads in part a statement published on US embassy website .

“The South Sudanese government is currently engaged in an armed conflict with opposition forces led by the former vice president Riek Machar, which has led to the displacement of more than two million people. Although the conflict is primarily concentrated in Unity, Jonglei, and Upper Nile states, other areas of the country have experienced periodic fighting. Instability persists across the country due to retaliatory attacks, inter-communal violence and cattle raiding, and economic uncertainty,” it says.

The statement also drew the attention of the US citizens to official statements by the army chief of general staff, Paul Malong Awan, in which he directed the army to shoot down any aircraft using the airspace or landing without permission from the government.

“In addition, we note that the government in an official statement released on December 11, 2015, threatened to shoot down aircraft engaged in illicit activities or which violate the country’s airspace by failing to properly identify themselves. The government has recently operationally deployed a strategic radar guided strategic surface to air missile near Juba airport,” the statement warned.

The order to shoot planes attracted criticisms against president Kiir’s government, with many questioning the capability and accuracy of the aviation system to identify aircrafts that violate the country’s airspace.

The government in 2012 shot down a helicopter belonging to the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) in Pibor area of Jonglei state, killing all on board including Russian captains and crew. The government admitted downing the helicopter with a Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG), arguing that it was allegedly heading to David Yauyau’s rebel controlled area.

Another helicopter belonging to UNMISS was also shot down in 2014 in Unity state, but nobody claimed responsibility.

(ST)