186 Egyptian infantry now arriving in Darfur to join UNAMID

March 2, 2009 (EL FASHER) — The remainder of the Egyptian infantry battalion of the UN-African Union hybrid operation (UNAMID) started arriving today in El Fasher, North Darfur. A group of 93 peacekeepers arrived today and a second batch, also consisting of 93 peacekeepers, is scheduled to arrive tomorrow, bringing the battalion’s total number to 850.

The arrival of the 186 Egyptian peacekeepers will bring the Egyptian contribution to the Mission to 1,588 and the UNAMID military strength to 12,937.

The additional peacekeepers will join the rest of the battalion that arrived last November and was then deployed in Umm Kadada, eastern Darfur. Those peacekeepers were months late in deploying last year due to major logistical, administrative and security problems. Since contractors refused to undertake the journey to move equipment from El Obeid to Darfur, much of it was driven in armed convoys by the peacekeepers themselves.

“The principal duties of the battalion include conducting confidence-building security patrols and escorts for humanitarian convoys,” stated UNAMID.

UNAMID peacekeepers are tasked with protecting the nearly three million displaced civilians in Darfur. However, they have neither been able to prevent clashes between the government and rebels nor provide enough safety for the refugees to return to their lands.

The Mission is budgeted to be the most costly peacekeeping operation in the world.

(ST)