Israeli former general denies supplying weapons to South Sudan

Mach 04, 2018 (JUBA) – A former Israeli army general and businessman Israel Ziv has denied supplying weapons to the South Sudanese government during the five-year armed conflict in the country.

In December 2018, Ziv together with two South Sudanese nationals, were designated by the U.S Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) “for being leaders of firms that supplied the Government of South Sudan with weapons and ammunition”.

On Monday, The Jerusalem Post citing a local TV Channel 13 said the former general was appeared before the Israeli Defence Ministry to investigate with him into the allegations of sealing 150 million in arms to South Sudan.

Ziv “denied the American allegations that his consulting company, Global CST, sold $150 million in arms to South Sudan, and presented officials with details of his firm’s agricultural work in the African country,” said the newspaper.

The U.S. State Department on 14 December 2018 said that Israel Ziv and Obac William Olawo were designated by the Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) “for being leaders of firms that supplied the Government of South Sudan with weapons and ammunition.

While their third partner Gregory Vasili who was the former governor of Gogrial State was designated by OFAC for brokering deals for the sale of military equipment to the South Sudanese government.

The former general, according to Washington was paid through the country’s oil industry, as he had close collaboration with a major multi-national oil firm.

(ST)