The United States has determined that Sudan provided major military support to the Janjaweed militia, accused of expelling 1.2 million black Africans from their homes in the western Darfour province. Two U.S. delegations sent to Sudan in late June examined the link between Janjaweed and the Khartoum regime. They were said to have concluded that the Sudanese military provided training and equipment to Janjaweed as part of Khartoum’s policy to remove black Christians and other non-Muslims from Darfour, which neighbors Chad. A congressional delegation that returned from Sudan this week said the Janjaweed was directly supported by the military.
| They coulda read Rantburg and save the bus fare... |
Delegates said Janjaweed fighters participated in Sudanese Air Force attacks on black African villages in Darfour as well as led ground attacks that resulted in the death of at least 30,000 people and the displacement of 1.2 million people. Rep. Frank Wolf, a Republican from Virginia, recounted testimony he heard regarding the coordination between the Sudanese air force attacks and Janjaweed raids of black villages. Wolf told a July 6 news conference that a Janjaweed base in Darfour was adjacent to the Sudanese air base at Geneina in Darfour that contained two Soviet-origin attack helicopters and an Antonov air transport. "The militiamen we saw did not look like skilled pilots who could fly planes or helicopters," Wolf said.
| "They looked like the local yo boyz..." |
Delegates said the Antonovs and helicopter gunships usually strafed and bombed villages to prepare for the Janjaweed assault. They said Janjaweed fighters arrived on horseback and camels to kill, loot, rape and burn. The Janjaweed have been heavily armed and well-supplied, U.S. officials and congressional members said. They were provided with satellite phones to maintain constant communications with Sudanese military commanders.
"Babes! We got babes down here! Youse guys want some?"
"Lemme land this thing!" |
|