Peacekeeping helicopter hit by gunfire in West Darfur
August 11, 2008 (KHARTOUM) — A Helicopter of the hybrid peacekeeping force was shot in western Darfur by gunfire today as the U.S. envoy to Sudan visiting the headquarters of the mission.
The plane was come under fire in the area of Jebel Moon, West Darfur State, and was forced to return to its base. The UNAMID spokesperson said they are not aware of who fired the helicopter.
However according to Reuters, the rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) said it had shot at a white helicopter in the area, but believed it had been from the government’s Central Reserve Police.
The United Nations has in the past urged the Sudanese government not to use white aircraft that resemble its own, saying it endangered the peacekeepers.
The governor of West Darfur Abu Algassim Imam said the plane was shot during a flight from Al-Geneina to Kulbus, and returned to base in the capital of West Darfur with no casualties.
In the same time, US envoy to Sudan Richard Williamson, Monday visited the AU-UN peacekeeping mission headquarters in El Fasher, where he was briefed on the work of the UNAMID, the status of its deployment, as well as the challenges facing the mission.
Williamson expressed his concern over the slow deployment of UNAMID and urged the mission to do everything possible to “speed up its deployment,” to enable it to better protect the civilians and its own Peacekeepers.
The visiting envoy was referring to the 8 July ambush where seven peacekeeper were killed and 29 others injured
The force took over peacekeeping duties in January from a beleaguered African Union force, but is still operating with only about a third of its authorized 26,000 soldiers. It also lacks sufficient combat and rescue helicopters.
(ST)
biarawieu
Peacekeeping helicopter hit by gunfire in West Darfur
al-bashir is a really man without fear he don,t give demn to any human being. look the guy is using his little time before his indictment,ICC international criminal court, to do the best. to me this man is going to kill more than what he did if the world watch are not careful with his arrest.Biar M Bul
Akolde Nhiak Jinub
Peacekeeping helicopter hit by gunfire in West Darfur
Government of Sudan is more than a ghost.
Look at what they have done. Painting their Helicopters white to resemble UNAMID. This has two folded ideology behind. International Criminal President Bashir and his Government want to be shooting UN helicopters and claim that it is rebels that have hit UNAMID flights. In this way, Rebels cause for waging a protract war will be disdained, in the sense that they are not fighting a justiable war which should have been but rather a group of uncivilized thugs waging a war against anything they see in their territory.
Indicted Bashir wants to divert UN and International Community focus on him onto Rebel groups and especially JEM.
I would urge JEM to apologize to UNAMID of their unintended shooting on their helicopter.
Ghost in Khartoum should paint their helicopters as military flight of Sudan as usual if they are to fight JEM a direct confrontation. Why are they hidding from JEM, or would want to be bombing JEM unknowingly?
A man must face a man in the face!
UNAMID to be ready to protect civilians in Darfur as well as their troops.