Darfur peacekeeping mission gets new vehicles

June 8, 2009 (ELFASHER) — The hybrid peacekeeping force has received a new fleet of vehicles, the UNAMID said today.

The convoy of 21 fuel tankers and 22 other vehicles arrived at the UN-AU mission (UNAMID) headquarters in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, on Sunday after a nine-day road trip from the Sudanese capital.

It departed Khartoum on 29 May and arrived in El Fasher yesterday after travelling via El Obeid.

Such convoys – there have been 13 in total since June last year – are part of UNAMID Police’s efforts to establish close contacts with the local population along the route and also develop better working relations with the local police, the mission said.

The peacekeeping mission was established by the Security Council in July 2007 to protect civilians in Darfur, where an estimated 300,000 people have been killed and another 2.7 million forced from their homes since violence erupted in 2003.

On the other hand, the newly appointed UNAMID Deputy Force Commander, Maj. Gen. Duma Mdutyana Dumisani, today travelled to West Darfur on an operational visit.

Upon arrival in El Geneina, the state capital, Dumisani was met by senior UNAMID officials and briefed on the general security situation. He also met military and police personnel deployed in the region before travelling to Zalingei, also in West Darfur, for further meetings.

(ST)