UNAMID hit by carjacking in North Darfur capital

April 7, 2009 (AL-FASHER) — Two unknown gunmen carjacked a vehicle last night from the hybrid African Union-United Nations peacekeeping operation in Darfur (UNAMID), according to the daily briefing of the mission today.

During the last year most of the carjacking incidents were directed against the aid trucks and the vehicles of the humanitarian organizations working in the strife-torn region. But recently UNAMID has become the main target of such attacks.

The driver of the vehicle, an international UN staff member, was not injured by the two armed men who stole the car in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur.

Over the past month, UNAMID has reported a rise in attacks on peacekeeping staff. In addition to direct attacks on vehicles, incidents occurred in which armed men sought out the guest houses of peacekeepers, broke in, demanded car keys or stole other equipment.

Reports have been especially heavy in West Darfur, but also so many carjackings have occurred in El Fasher that last November the peacekeepers set up a special unit to patrol against such attacks.

The town is the capital of North Darfur and serves as a government military bastion; rebel approaches on El Fasher in January caused widespread alarm but were repulsed.

(ST)