Sudanese policeman killed in Darfur attack

Dec 24, 2006 (KHARTOUM) — One Sudanese policeman was killed and three others wounded Saturday in an attack in the war-torn western region of Darfur, the official SUNA news agency reported Sunday.

“Unidentified gunmen attacked a six-man police patrol in El-Fasher, killing one policeman on the spot and wounding three others,” SUNA reported.

The attackers seized the police vehicle and drove off southwards, the news agency said, adding that the police unit was tasked with manning a checkpoint sealing off a neighbourhood of El-Fasher which has witnessed recent violence.

El-Fasher is the largest town in Darfur, the main base of the African Union force which has tried to stabilise the region for the past two years, and houses a large concentration of Darfuris displaced by the conflict.

According to the UN, at least 200,000 people have died from the combined effect of war and famine since the fighting erupted in February 2003. Some sources say the toll is much higher.

(AFP)