US welcomes Sudan’s acceptance of bigger AU force for Darfur

WASHINGTON, Oct 1 (AFP) — The United States on Friday welcomed Sudan’s decision to accept a larger African Union force in its troubled western region of Darfur and urged the speedy deployment of AU troops.

The State Department reaffirmed that Washington, which has already contributed 6.8 million dollars for logistical support for the existing deployment of AU monitors and another 20.6 million for other support, was prepared to further assist with the enlargment of the force.

“We certainly welcome (Sudanese officials’) comments that the government of Sudan has agreed to an African Union request for an expanded mission in Darfur,” deputy spokesman Adam Ereli said. “We think it’s important that more troops get there quickly,” he told reporters. “We are working with all the parties to help the African Union rapidly deploy the expanded monitoring and protection force.”

Earlier Friday, the AU confirmed that Sudan’s government has “formally accepted the reinforcement of the AU force” in Darfur, the western region in the grip of civil war, but said that no formal accord on the matter had been signed.

The AU currently has some 300 soldiers in Darfur, whose task is to protect some 150 observers monitoring a ceasefire reached in April between Khartoum and Darfur rebel groups.

The size and new mandate of the AU force is expected to be determined at a meeting of the pan-African Peace and Security Council in mid-October.

Both the warring sides in Darfur, where, according to UN estimates, 50,000 people have died and 1.4 million been displaced since war broke out in February 2003, have accused the other of repeatedly violating the April truce.

The United States has determined that a “genocide” is occuring in Darfur, where Khartoum’s proxy Arab militia, the Janjaweed, is fighting indigenous black African rebel groups and accused of waging an massive ethnic cleansing campaign.