August 5, 2013 (JUBA) – Residents in Juba, the South Sudan’s capital, have been warned against roaming around prior to a shooting exercise what will commences on Monday within Luri bridge area, the state-owned SSTV announced Friday. SPLA spokesperson Phillip Aguer (Reuters) The bridge is located about 10-km west of Juba town. It was not clearly stated as to which forces would undertake the exercise, starting from Monday till Friday. But Phillip Aguer, the spokesperson of South Sudan army (SPLA) told Sudan Tribune that the planned shooting exercise was "normal". "That is a training exercise and its normal. The population should not be alarmed by what will take place", he said by phone Monday. Luri is the area where the President Salva Kiir’s cattle camp is located and usually spends most weekends there. Kiir reportedly spent three days in the location after he issued the 23 July presidential decrees, which removed his deputy, Riek Machar, and dissolved the entire cabinet. There is already a presidential guard unit inside the capital, which guards residences of the president, vice-president and other senior officials of the government. A security source told Sudan Tribune that the Chief of General Staff, James Hoth Mai, disapproved of a new force, which was recently transferred and transported to Juba without his consent; a move, the source said, stained the relationship between the two. The whistle blower said the president had planned to deploy these new "likely more trusted forces" inside Juba city, in case of violence, instead of the regular SPLA forces or the current presidential guards. Many believe that the shooting exercise will be part of the military orientations to the new forces, which are yet to undergo proper military training before deployment. South Sudan army is yet to transform into a professional national army that transcends tribalism
Posted on: Mon, 05 Aug 2013 06:57:50 +0000
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