Darfur rebels call for “international force” instead of AU force in west Sudan

ASMARA, Dec 22 (AFP) — One of the two Darfur rebel movements involved in African Union-sponsored peace talks with Sudan’s government urged Wednesday that a UN-supervised international force replace the AU force monitoring a ceasefire in the troubled western Sudan region.

The leader of the rebel Justice and Equality movement (JEM), Khaliel Abraheem, asserted that the “AU is not able to fulfill its role and the African troops have failed to protect the civilians from the Janjaweed attacks,” in a statement to journalists in the Eritrean capital.

He urged the United Nations, the European Union, the African Union and the Arab League to contribute “international troops to deploy in Darfour to protect the civilians”.

Referring to an April ceasefire deal, he said the “AU could not compel the Sudanese government to commit to its agreements with Darfur rebel movements and the international community.”

The African Union is supervising the negotiations in the Nigerian capital Abuja between Sudan’s government and the two rebel groups, the JEM and the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM).

A fourth round was suspended without progress Tuesday, though participants pledged to resume talks in Abuja in January at a date still to be confirmed.

The AU-led talks have so far made no progress towards a lasting political settlement after the Sudan government and its allied Janjaweed militia launched a military offensive in breach of the April ceasefire.