Killing of two AU peacekeepers happened near Khor Abeche

The ambush of the AU patrol on Saturday 8 Oct 2005 happened near Khor Abeche, South Darfur where Arab militias wiped out a rebel base earlier this year; South Darfur was the scene of a rebel attack on a government garrison last month, which sparked a wave of tit-for-tat violence, reports Reuters Oct 8. Excerpts:

Sudan's state minister for foreign affairs, Samani Wasiyla, told Reuters he did not know who was responsible for the ambush but that it was definitely not government troops.

"It is unfortunate that there has been casualties," he said. "I want to assure all that the government is committed to seeing that the mission of the African Union forces succeeds.

EU foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, told reporters in Khartoum on Saturday the government was responsible for protecting AU troops in Darfur.

"There is a responsibility also of the government of Sudan to guarantee that the AU has the appropriate protection so that they can produce results in their mission," Solana said after a brief visit to Darfur."

"Their mission is a mission of peace, not of war but of peace."

Note, the EU is one of the largest funders of the AU mission in Darfur.
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African Union says Darfur rebel SLA killed 2 peacekeepers

Update from Reuters Oct 9:

"The AMIS soldiers clearly identified their attackers as men dressed in SLA uniform and that they escaped in typical SLA vehicles into which they loaded their own casualty," according to AMIS statement.

"From the foregoing account, all the evidence shows SLA direct responsibility."

UPDATE Oct 9: Sacked rebel JEM commander kidnapped peacekeepers.

UPDATE Oct 10: U.S. Condemns Attacks on AU Personnel in Darfur - US State Department deputy spokesman cited two Darfur rebel groups, the SLM and a faction of the JEM, as responsible for the attacks.

Tags: Darfur Sudan Africa UN African Union Janjaweed Janjawid peacekeepers NATO EU Solana Khor Abeche