Sudan

[Skywalker]

U.S. OUTLINES JANJAWEED ROLE IN DARFOUR WAR


WASHINGTON [MENL] --The United States has outlined the role of Sudan's state-supported Janjaweed militia in the war in the Darfour province.

U.S. officials said Janjaweed has become the land-based strike arm of Sudan's military. They said the regime of President Omar Bashir has used Janjaweed to destroy black African villages and attack rebels amid his loss of trust in the army.

The Arab-dominated Janjaweed militia has been accused of killing 30,000 people in and expelling 1.2 million others from Darfour over the last 18 months. The United States has demanded the dismantling of Janjaweed and prosecution of its leaders for war crimes. In response, Sudan has offered to incorporate the Janjaweed into the police and security forces.

Officials said the Bashir regime began to use Janjaweed in 2003 when the Sudanese Army proved unreliable. They said 40 percent of the army comes from Darfour and many soldiers have identified with the demands of the black African rebels for equal rights.

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