AU urges Sudan to secure the release of Kidnapped peacekeepers
Dec 19, 2006 (KHARTOUM) — The head of the African Union Mission in the Sudan (AMIS) urged yesterday the Sudanese official to secure the release of a AU officers kidnapped by unknown armed group in the capital of North Darfur.
Mukaruliza requested the Government “in whose jurisdiction the incident took place” to step up the ongoing search for the AU officer. She reiterated that AMIS will continue to cooperate with the concerned authorities to ensure a well coordinated operation.
The AU said Monday 10 December that two peacekeepers were abducted and their car stolen by unidentified gunmen in Al Fasher late Sunday.
The African Union “condemns this hijacking in the strongest terms, and once more calls on the kidnapers to unconditionally release the personnel and the vehicle,” said the AU in a statement Monday. The AU did not specify if the soldiers were armed at the time of their abduction.
A U.N. official said a Nigerian major was among those abducted close to the house of the African Union’s force commander in Al Fasher.
The Sudanese officials assured Mukaruliza that they would do everything possible to ensure a positive outcome and agreed with her that the incident was extremely unfortunate “since AMIS troops are in Darfur to help in restoring peace and stability and not to be part of the conflict.” the Au said in a press statement.
The Sudanese military transported Janjaweed fighters into North Darfur to help in an offensive against rebels launched in the fall, observers say. The janjaweed recently moved into Al Fasher.
The Janjaweed militia called by the Sudanese authorities “the Border Intelligence Division” are armed and trained by the Sudanese army.
But it was not clear how much control the army had over them, U.N. and aid workers in the town said. There have been several incidents were the militia clashed with the regular government forces.
Since their arrival to the capital of North Darfur earlier this month, violence broke out in Al Fasher when the janjaweed militia looted an Al Fasher cattle market and then clashed with former rebels of the Sudan Liberation Movement-Minawi, killing two and losing two of their own men, the AU peacekeeping mission to Darfur said.
African Union peacekeepers have been deployed in Darfur since mid-2004 on a mission to protect Darfur’s civilians in a three-year conflict that has killed more than 200,000 people and driven 2.5 million from their homes.
(ST)