Sudanese president reshuffles army command; promotes officer sanctioned  
   by US                                                                    

   Thursday 3 April 2008 05:30.                                            

    April 2, 2008 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese presidency reshuffled today the
    army  command  of  joint  staff  as well as ground forces, navy and air
    forces  including  a general accused by Washington of directing attacks
    against civilians in Darfur.                                            

    President  of  the  Republic  and  General Commander of the Sudan Armed
    Forces,  Field  Marshal  Omer Al-Bashir, has issued decrees promoting a
    number  of officers of the Armed Forces and to amend the Command of the
    Joint  Staff  and  the  Ground  Forces,  Navy and Air Forces as part of
    regular administrative arrangements.                                    

    According  to  the  decrees,  Gen.  Mohamed Abdel-Gadir Nasr-Eddin, was
    promoted  to  the  position  of the Chief of the Joint Staff, Gen. Awad
    Mohamed bin Oaf, as Deputy Chief of Joint Staff.                        

    Oaf,  who  was  former  Head of Military Intelligence and Security, was
    placed  on a US sanctions list in May 2007 by president Goerge Bush for
    "contribuing to the conflict in the Darfur region".                    

    The  US  adminstration  said  that  Oaf  is  "among  Khartoum’s  senior
    leadership  and  have  acted as liaison between the Sudanese government
    and  the  Government-supported  Janjaweed militias, which have attacked
    and brutalized innocent civilians in the region".                      

    He  was  also  accused of have providing the Janjaweed "with logistical
    support and directed attacks".                                          

    The reshuffle list also included                                        

    Gen. Ismat Abdel-Rahman Zainal-Abidin as General Inspector.            

    Lt.  Gen.  Ali  Al-Sharif  was promoted to the position of chief of the
    Joint Operations and Training Administration,                          

    Lt.  Gen.  Abdel-Rahman  Mohamed  Zain was promoted as the Chief of the
    Ground Forces Staff,                                                    

    Lt.  Gen. (Pilot) Ahmed Ali Al-Faki was promoted to be the Chief of the
    Air-Forces Staff,                                                      

    Lt.   Gen.  Mahjoub  Abdalla  Sharfi  as  Chief  of  the  Security  and
    Intelligence Administration,                                            

    While Lt. Gen. (Naval) Al-Zain Hamad Balla retained the position of the
    Chief of the Naval Forces Staff.                                        

    A  number  of Major Generals in the ground forces were also promoted to
    the  rank  of  Lieutenant General to assume leading positions, who were
    Lt.  Gen.  Hashim  Abdalla  Hassan,  Lt.  Gen. (engineer) Mustafa Osman
    Obeid, and Lt. Gen. Mohamed Gerham Omer.                                

    (ST)