40 Jordanian policemen join Darfur peacekeeping mission

May 29, 2009 (EL-FASHER) — Some 40 Jordanian police officers arrived today in El-Fasher to join the hybrid peacekeeping mission in Darfur known as UNAMID.

The 39 officers will be deployed around the region after completing their induction training over the next two weeks.

The new arrivals are the latest batch of police officers to join UNAMID – this week more than 60 officers from Sierra Leone arrived, and earlier this month two Bangladeshi formed police units (FPUs), each comprising 140 officers, and 52 Filipino police advisers also started work.

According to the peacekeeping mission, carjackers on Thursday killed a civilian in West Darfur after intervening to prevent them from stealing a UNAMID vehicle near El Geneina.

The incident occurred when four UNAMID police advisers were speaking with a local landlord about possible accommodation when they were attacked by two armed men and their vehicle was carjacked.

The landlord was shot as he tried to intervene.

The armed men escaped with the vehicle, which was later recovered.

(ST)