On June 4 the SPLA claimed it controlled the town of Raga in Bahr el-Ghazal province. NGO sources appear to confirm the SPLA claim. On June 6, Sudans President Omar al-Beshir made an interesting statement where he said the SPLAs real aim was to create a Separate oil state. He described the southern rebels as US-backed. Beshir specifically said the SPLA intended to make Bahr el-Ghazal province a separate state. He also claimed that the SPLA originally intended to take Equatoria province but Khartoums forces foiled the SPLAs attempt to take the town of Juba. Beshir said the SPLA intends to take the town of Wau (in Bahr el-Ghazal). Beshirs agitprop was really very clever, He asserted that the SPLA will take control of the oilfields, drive out oil companies who are doing business with Khartoum, and "replace them with American companies."