Vehicle stolen in second attack on UNAMID in two days

March 11, 2009 (EL FASHER) – A UN-African Union vehicle was carjacked by three unknown armed men on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. in the government garrison town and capital of North Darfur, El Fasher.

A statement from the peacekeepers disclosed that the incident occurred “in front of the staff member’s home about 500 metres from UNAMID headquarters in El Fasher, North Darfur.”

While no injuries were reported, the attack follows an ambush late on Monday in which four peacekeepers were wounded as they returned to their base outside of El Geneina, West Darfur.

Last May, a Ugandan peacekeeper was shot dead in his car in El Fasher. Again in December, a Senegalese peacekeeper was shot dead in a carjacking in the same town. The previous year, an Egyptian peacekeeper was shot dead in his home in the same town. Other fatalities have occurred, but these are some of the incidents just in El Fasher.

The number of carjackings in the North Darfur capital and government garrison town became so high last year that in November the peacekeepers initiated special night patrols conducted by a Quick Response Team.

(ST)