Darfur peacekeepers patrol El-Fasher to confront carjackering
November 26, 2008 (El FASHER) – A specialized unit from the peacekeeping mission in Darfur began patrols Wednesday night to prevent carjackings in the government garrison town and capital of North Darfur, El Fasher.
“This has come about due to concerns over the increased incidents of car-jacking in Darfur,” said a statement issued by the UN-African Union hybrid peacekeeping operation in Darfur (UNAMID).
Hundreds of humanitarian and peacekeeping vehicles have been hijacked or stolen thus far this year in both government- and rebel-held areas.
“This Quick Response Team night patrol is a pilot project that in time will be replicated in other areas of Darfur once UNAMID’s capacity allows,” said a UNAMID representative.
The troops for the night security patrols are drawn from UN Police Monitors and from the Indonesian Formed Police Unit (FPU), which is a type of mobile rapid reaction police unit serving with UNAMID. Such units have expertise in crowd management and other tactical operations, but so far only three of the 19 authorized FPUs have deployed.
The Indonesian FPU joined the peacekeeping mission on Oct. 12, was introduced to the population and sheiks of Abu Shouk and Al Salaam internally displaced persons camps on Oct. 21 and conducted its first patrol to these camps on Nov. 3.
The top UN relief official began a visit Darfur on Tuesday, and his discussions with UN agencies and NGOs focused on increasingly frequent carjackings and break-ins.
About half of UNAMID’s mandated 26,000 personnel are on the ground in Darfur. The mission’s commanding general on Tuesday cited severe equipment shortages and hinted that his forces would have difficulty defending themselves if faced with an attack with heavy weapons.
(ST)