Government “using surface-to-surface missiles”

The Sudanese government has acquired, and is using, surface-to-surface missiles in its war against southern rebels, the UK-based ‘The Guardian’ newspaper reported on Tuesday. The newspaper claimed to have seen video footage showing a missile being fired from a truck at the headquarters of the government’s 17th division in Dindro, south of the Ingessana hills. The film was taken by a government cameraman who accompanied an offensive into Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A)-controlled southern Blue Nile province in May, the newspaper said. ‘The Guardian’ quoted SPLM/A leader John Garang as saying government forces had fired eight similar missiles before trying to advance on the town of Kurmuk near the Ethiopian border. Although the type of missile used was not clear, SPLA officials were quoted as saying they could be part of a shipment received by the government from the former Soviet republic of Kazakhstan in January.

Religious and human rights groups have accused the Khartoum government of using oil revenues to expand its military operations in the south. Government troops have committed human rights abuses in concession areas and forced people out of their homes to make way for oil production, they claim. ‘The Guardian’ quoted a western analyst as saying: “Resources are going into the Sudanese military. This is a very well-equipped army...” The analyst added that aid operations around the oilfields could be put at risk: “The effect of a missile like this falling on a town would be to clear all aid missions out. No one in the field calculates a risk from a missile.”