Rwandan troops to leave for Darfur by mid-month

KIGALI, Aug 2 (AFP) — A detachment of 150 Rwandan troops was expected to leave for the Darfur region of western Sudan by the middle of this month, a senior officer said Monday.

They will be part of a force protecting about 100 African Union (AU) civilian military observers, charged with monitoring the ceasefire signed by the warring parties in Darfur but rarely respected.

“We expect the men to leave Kigali between August 10 and August 15,” the officer said, adding that their task would “include the protection of the civilian population.”

The AU had initially hoped to have the first troops deployed by the end of July, but logistical problems pushed the date back.

Rwanda and Nigeria are the only African countries that have so far confirmed they will contribute soldiers to the troubled region in the throes of what the United Nations has described as the world’s worst current humanitarian crisis.

For almost 18 months Darfur has been the scene of bloodshed between local rebels and troops from the Khartoum government, who are backed up by brutal Arab Janjaweed militia groups.

The UN estimates that the conflict has killed up to 50,000 people and driven 1.2 million from their homes.