Paulino Matep's South Sudan Defence Forces (SSDF) fought alongside northern Arab government troops and against the former rebel, Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A), during the 21-year civil war that ended in January.

Paul Gatkuoth of the SSDF said: "The government has agreed to admit 628 officers and 6 000 non-commissioned officers and men from the SSDF into the joint military unit in the south."

An army official confirmed that SSDF forces would be integrated into a joint unit in southern Sudan, but did not elaborate on the numbers.

Post-war national unity govt

The SPLM had also granted the SSDF 20 seats in the southern parliament and three ministries in the government of southern Sudan.

Khartoum signed a peace agreement with the SPLM in January 2005 and the former foes set up the country's first post-war national unity government last month.

Power-sharing quotas enshrined in the peace deal gave 52% to the ruling party of President Omar al-Beshir, 28% to the SPLM and 14% to northern opposition parties and six to southern opposition movements.

The largely autonomous south also retained its own institutions and was due to hold a referendum on self-determination in six years.