AU probes troops' killings

2007-10-01 11:25

Mohamed Hasni

Khartoum - The African Union on Monday began probing an unprecedented attack on one of its bases in Sudan's war-ravaged Darfur that left 10 peacekeepers dead and 40 missing, vowing to punish those responsible.

AU Mission in Sudan (AMIS) spokesperson Noureddine Mezni said: "The enquiry is underway and we will make its conclusions public. Those who carried out this attack will be strongly sanctioned."

The attack by a large, organised group of heavily armed men who overran southern Darfur's Haskanita camp in 30 vehicles took place on Saturday night, the worst assault on the under-manned force since it deployed in July 2004.

The AU declined to speculate on who carried out the attack or elaborate on the nationalities of those killed. The missing included 36 AU soldiers, three military observers and a police officer.

UN chief condemns the killings

Seventeen other peacekeepers who were kidnapped in the raid were later discovered to the south of the base, said Mezni.

United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon condemned the killings and called on Darfur's warring sides to recommit to a settlement, citing peace talks scheduled for Libya on October 27 and preparations for a joint deployment of AU-UN troops.

He said: "The secretary-general condemns in the strongest possible terms the recent attack on AU peacekeepers in Haskanita, South Darfur, and calls for the perpetrators to be held fully accountable for this outrageous act."

Ban urged all parties "to recommit as a matter of the highest priority to a peaceful resolution to the conflict".

AU-UN joint envoy Rodolphe Adada, who flew to the main Darfur town of Al-Fasher to personally supervise the enquiry into the attack, said he was "appalled by the outrageous and deliberate attack".

5 Senegalese peacekeepers killed

AU security chief Said Djinnit also said the perpetrators must be punished. He said: "We believe strongly that the group involved should bear the full responsibility of this heinous attack."

The under-equipped African force of about 7 000 troops from 26 countries patrolling Darfur, a region the size of France, was due to begin being replaced later this year by the hybrid 26 000-strong AU-UN force.

Five Senegalese AU peacekeepers were killed in an attack in April.

The new commander of the hybrid force, General Martin Luther Agwai, said: "Such irresponsible attacks constitute a serious violation to the ceasefire agreement.

"Rebel groups, who indulge in such random violence and bloodshed, undermine their own credibility on any negotiation table."

Agwai also said it was regrettable that the attack happened ahead of the peace talks due in Tripoli later this month in an attempt to broaden a Darfur peace agreement signed by only one rebel faction in May last year.

- AFP