Sudan moves to cut paramilitary troop strength in Darfur

KHARTOUM, Aug 27 (AFP) — Members of Sudan’s paramilitary Popular Defence Forces turned in their weapons in Darfur following Khartoum’s pledge to cut their strength in the region by 30 percent, state media reported.

The ceremony in the West Darfur state capital of Gineina was attended by UN envoy Jan Pronk as well as Interior Minister Abdel Rahim Mohammed Hussein and the French and Italian ambassadors, the official Sudan News Agency said.

On Sunday on the eve of Abuja peace talks with the ethnic minority rebels in Darfur, Hussein’s deputy Ahmed Mohammed Haroun announced that as a good will gesture the government planned to reduce the feared paramilitary group’s numbers in the region.

A July 3 agreement between Khartoum and the United Nations makes no specific reference to the Popular Defence Forces despite the allegations of rights abuses levelled against them as well as the notorious state-sponsored Janjaweed militias.

In the accord, the Sudanese government undertook to “disarm the Janjaweed and other armed outlaw groups” and to “ensure that no militias are present in all areas surrounding internally displaced persons’ camps”.