Rwanda sends last group of troops to AU mission in Darfur

KIGALI, Nov 2 (AFP) — The last group of troops making up Rwanda’s current contribution to the African Union mission in Sudan’s troubled region of Darfur left Kigali on Tuesday, an army officer told AFP.

The group of 14 soldiers left Kigali for El Fasher in West Darfur, bringing the total number of Rwandan troops in the AU mission to just under 400.

The African Union is in the process of boosting the mission’s strength sevenfold, to some 3,200 personnel, including military observers, protection troops and civilians.

The AU mission is mainly charged with observing a shaky ceasefire two Darfur rebel groups and the Khartoum government signed in April but also has a limited mandate to protect civilians in certain circumstances.

Tens of thousands of people are estimated to have died as a result of the conflict in Darfur since two armed groups there began a rebellion in February 2003.