Lao People's Armed Forces
Template:Short description Template:EngvarB Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox national military
The Lao People's Armed Forces (LPAF) (Template:Langx) is the armed forces of the Lao People's Democratic Republic and the institution of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party.
Organization
The LPRP statute states that its political leadership over the military emanates from the LPRP Central Committee's Defence and Public Security Commission (DPSC) and is the highest decision-making institution regarding military and security affairs. The DPSC is chaired by the LPRP General Secretary, making the officeholder the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
History
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According to some journalists, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), humanitarian and human rights organisations, the Lao People's Army has repeatedly engaged in egregious human rights violations and the practice of corruption in Laos.<ref name="auto3">Amnesty International, (23 March 2007), "Lao People's Democratic Republic: Hiding in the jungle – Hmong under threat" {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="auto4">The Centre for Public Policy Analysis, CPPA, Washington, D.C. (1 August 2013), http://www.centerforpublicpolicyanalysis.org Template:Webarchive</ref> The LPAF and its military intelligence play a role in the arrest, imprisonment and torture of foreign prisoners in Vientiane's Phonthong Prison and the communist Lao gulag system where Australians Kerry and Kay Danes were imprisoned and where civic activist Sombath Somphone may be imprisoned following his arrest in December 2012.<ref>Scoop Independent News, Auckland, New Zealand, (19 March 2013) "Laos Officials Criticized for Obstructing Investigation" http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO1303/S00169/laos-officials-criticized-for-obstructing-investigation.htm (Archive)</ref>
In 2013, attacks by the Lao People's Army against the Hmong people intensified, with soldiers killing four unarmed Hmong school teachers in addition to engaging in other human rights abuses according to the Lao Human Rights Council, the Centre for Public Policy Analysis and others.<ref>Businesswire, businesswire.com (4 March 2013) "Laos: Attacks Intensify Against Lao, Hmong People" http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20130304006755/en/Laos-Attacks-Intensify-Lao-Hmong-People (Archive)</ref>
On 17 May 2014, Defence Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Douangchay Phichit was killed in a plane crash, along with other officials.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The officials were to participate in a ceremony to mark the liberation of the Plain of Jars from the former Royal Lao government forces.<ref name="theg_Laos">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Their Russian-built Antonov AN 74-300 with 20 people on board crashed in Xiangkhouang Province.<ref name="PlaneCrash">Template:Cite news</ref>
Equipment
Tanks, armoured vehicles and trucks
Artillery
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Air defence
| Photo | Model | Type | Origin | Quantity | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| File:SA-3 EP 2006.JPG | S-125 Neva/Pechora | Short-range SAM system | Template:Flag | Unknown | ||
| File:9A35 combat vehicle 9K35 Strela-10 - TankBiathlon14part2-37.jpg | 9K35 Strela-10 | Vehicle-mounted SAM system | Template:Flag | Unknown | ||
| Yitian anti air system | Surface-to-air missile | Template:Flag | Unknown | |||
| File:ZSU-23-4 Shilka -02.jpg | ZSU-23-4 Shilka | Self-propelled anti-aircraft gun | Template:Flag | Unknown | ||
| File:SA-7.jpg | Strela-2 | Surface-to-air missile | Template:Flag | Unknown | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
| File:M1939-37mm-hatzerim-1.jpg | 37 mm automatic air defence gun M1939 (61-K) | Air defence gun | Unknown | |||
| File:S-60-57mm-hatzerim-1.jpg | 57 mm AZP S-60 | Automatic anti-aircraft gun | Unknown | |||
| File:14,5-мм счетверенная зенитная пулеметная установка конструкции Лещинского ЗПУ-4 (1).jpg | ZPU | Auto anti-aircraft gun | Unknown | |||
| File:ZU-23-2 in Saint Petersburg.jpg | ZU-23-2 | Anti-aircraft gun | Unknown |
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Weapons
<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name="jones2009">Jones, Richard D. Jane's Infantry Weapons 2009/2010. Jane's Information Group; 35 edition (27 January 2009). Template:ISBN.</ref>
Mortars
- 81mm<ref name="auto2">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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- 82mm<ref name="auto2"/>
- 120mm<ref name=":3" />
- Template:Flag M1938 mortar<ref name="auto2"/>
- Template:Flag 120mm: M-43<ref name="auto2"/>
- Template:Flag M2 4.2 inch mortar
See also
References
External links
Template:Association of Southeast Asian Nations Armed Forces Template:Laos topics Template:Military of Asia Template:List of equipment of the Southeast Asian security forces