Sudan considers International Muslim troops for Darfur

July 22, 2006 (KHARTOUM) — Sudanese government cogitates the implementing a plan to deploy Arab and Muslim troops in the region of Darfur in order to block the ongoing arrangements to replace the African Union troops there with international forces.

According to London based Asharq Alawsat daily news paper, the plan is being prepared by the Sudanese security and intelligence organs as well the armed forces, but declined to give details in this regard.

After a meeting with the Sudanese president in Banjul on 3 July, the United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan told the press that al-Bashir had promised to give “his plan” to end the crisis within the month.

“I am still suspecting that in time there will be a UN peacekeeping force in Darfur,” added Annan, whose mandate as UN chief expires end of the year.

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton said on Sunday 16 July suggested that Sudan must accept UN forces from Muslim countries.

“Sudan should be pressured to accept international troops from Muslim countries such as Pakistan, Turkey, Bangladesh and others to help maintain peace and order in Darfur,” Clinton told an audience at AU headquarters.

Sudan has refused to accept a U.N. peacekeeping mission to replace the 7,000 underfunded African Union (AU) peacekeepers currently in Darfur. Sudan has likened the proposed U.N. mission to a Western invasion.

Three years of rape, pillage and murder in Darfur, a vast and lawless western region of Sudan, has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced at least 2.5 million.

(ST)