SA to command AU in Darfur
2005-01-22 20:09
Johannesburg - South Africa is to command the police contingent of the African Union peacekeeping force in Darfur and send 100 police to the troubled western region of Sudan, a government spokesperson said on Saturday.
"Cabinet approved the request of the African Union to send a contingent of 100 police officers to contribute to the peace mission of the UA," Joel Netshitenzhe said.
"The advance guard of this police contingent is meant to establish the police headquarters in Darfur during January," he said, adding that the AU police mission would be under the command of the South African police.
Around 70 000 people are estimated to have died, many from hunger and disease, in the past several months alone. Some 1,5 million others have been displaced, many into squalid and dangerous camps, largely as a result of attacks by government-backed militia.
But the African Union has sent only about a third of the 3 000 troops it planned to commit to Darfur to help ease the situation, citing a lack of money and logistical resources.