Australia considering sending troops to Sudan

SYDNEY, July 24 (AFP) — Australia is considering a United Nations’ request for troops to join a mission to the troubled Darfur region of Sudan, where civil war threatens to create a humanitarian catastrophe.

Defence Minister Robert Hill said the UN had approached Australia for a contribution to the UN force, which was expected to be in place by year’s end.

“We are contemplating whether to make a contribution,” he said today. “It would be relatively modest and we haven’t made a final decision.

“The UN has pointed out a number of areas of specialty where they would appreciate assistance. We are looking at that, together with all our other obligations at the moment.”

The UN estimates up to 50,000 people have died in Darfur and about 1.2 million have been driven from their homes since a revolt against the Arab-dominated government in Khartoum broke out among indigenous black African ethnic minorities in February 2003.

Hill gave gave no indication of the size of the deployment Australia was considering but said the specialist troops of most interest to the UN included engineers and medics.

“They have got plenty of infantry offered, as usual it is more the technical support areas that they are struggling with,” he told reporters.

“The force itself is still being fashioned and final decisions in relation to the force itself haven’t been taken.”

Hill said he believed the UN would insert an advance force within the next few months.

He said Australia was able to consider a commitment because of scaled down operations in East Timor and the Solomon Islands.