Popular Defence Forces
| Popular Defence Forces | |
|---|---|
 Emblem of the Popular Defence Forces | |
| Active | 1989–present |
| Country |
 Sudan |
| Allegiance |
National Congress (formerly the National Islamic Front) |
| Engagements |
Second Sudanese Civil War Darfur War |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
Ali Ahmed Karti (Commander in the 1990s) |
The Popular Defence Forces is a paramilitary force of Sudan established by the 1989 Popular Defence Forces Act. Whilst a part of Sudan's military under international law due to being created by statute, the force is defined by the 1989 Act as being a semi-military force to be formed from Sudanese citizens.[1]
The force has close links with the National Islamic Front, and was originally formed as a dedicated Islamist militia. The force now largely operates as a reserve force for the Sudanese Armed Forces.[2]
In 2004, the Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress estimated that the Popular Defence Forces consisted of 10,000 active members, with 85,000 reserves.[3] It has been deployed alongside regular army units against various rebel groups.
References
- ↑ John Pike. "Sudan - Popular Defense Force". Globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 2015-10-27.
- ↑ "Sudan: The Popular Defence Forces (PDF), including whether it is affiliated with the military; maximum age of conscription into the PDF and whether there are exemptions from service; whether individuals must serve for a three-month period, regardless of age, sex and medical condition, to keep their job and pension; whether those who had served with the PDF for three months had to report to police stations in June 2008 for further service; if so, consequences for not reporting". Refworld. Retrieved 2015-10-27.
- ↑ "Library of Congress Country Profile Sudan" (PDF). Memory.loc.gov. December 2004. Retrieved 2015-10-27.