AU refutes criticisms on Sudan’s intervention to rescue peacekeepers

October 4, 2007 (KHARTOUM) – African Mission in Sudan (AMIS) refuted criticisms following the intervention of the Sudanese army to rescue African peacekeepers. It recalled that such cooperation does not alter the neutrality of the African peacekeeping mission.

The spokesperson of the AMIS, Noureddine Mezni, stated today that the African mission is a “neutral peacekeeping Mission. As such, AMIS did call on the Government of the Sudan to secure the area around the AMIS Military Group Site in Haskanita immediately following the attack of 29 October, 2007.”

Mezni made this clarification of the AMIS position following reports that criticized the African mission in Darfur for requesting the support of the Sudanese army to rescue its personal when unidentified force attacked its position in Haskanita on September 29.

“This was necessary in order to enable the AMIS rescue team to save the lives of dozens of AMIS personnel who were wounded and needed to be evacuated, as well as those missing in action at the time.” The AU spokesperson underscored.

This is not the first time AMIS has solicited the assistance on the ground of a party to the Darfur conflict. In the past, AMIS has sought and obtained the assistance of the SLA, JEM and NRF, in areas controlled by these rebel movements, and various parties to the conflict have also requested and obtained help from AMIS under similar circumstances.

“As a result of this and other actions taken by AMIS, we have been able to rescue all our missing personnel except one.” he concluded.

(ST)