Sudan retrieves carjacked vehicles of Darfur peacekeepers

January 22, 2012 (KHARTOUM) – Security authorities in South Darfur State have taken back two vehicles out of four carjacked by unknown gunmen from peacekeepers of the United Nations – African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), sources told Sudan Tribune.

One Nigerian peacekeeper was killed and another was injured in an attack by unknown gunmen on a UNAMID patrol at about 12:30 on Saturday, at a location called Saleah on the road from El Daein to Nyala, 60 km north west of El Daein, the capital of the newly established state of East Darfur.

UNAMID said it could not identify the attackers but the Sudanese army, which unusually announced the attack before the mission, accused Darfur rebel groups and claimed the assailing group had captured 37 guns, two Dushka machine-gun and four vehicles. The mission did not mention any losses.

Sources told Sudan Tribune Sunday that the authorities in South Darfur State had managed to retrieve two of the four vehicles carjacked in the attack. They added that one vehicle laden with machine guns was taken following clashes with the carjackers in Qa’ar Hagar area in Shi’iriah locality while the second was retrieved following separate clashes in an area they identified as Um Shigiraih.

Other sources close to the government said that the members of the rebel group, Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) led by the former presidential assistant Mani Arkoi Minnawi, were the attackers.

Saturday’s attack brought to 30 the number of peacekeepers killed in Darfur since the start of the hybrid peacekeeping mission at the end of 2007.

The UN’s secretary-general Ban Ki-Moon condemned the attack and urged “Sudan to carry out a speedy investigation and to ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice”.

Two years ago Nigerian peacekeepers serving with UNAMID were held hostage by armed men who confiscated their arms and vehicles.

(ST)