UN/AU peacekeepers ambushed in Darfur
By Andrew Heavens
KHARTOUM, Jan 8 (Reuters) - Armed men opened fire on a U.N./African Union supply convoy in Sudan's Darfur region, the first attack on the newly formed joint peacekeeping mission, officials said on Tuesday.
A diplomatic source working in the region told Reuters Sudanese Army soldiers had fired at the UNAMID convoy late Monday, apparently confusing the peacekeepers for rebels.
But the UNAMID spokesman Noureddine Mezni said they were still investigating the incident and could not confirm the identity of the attackers.
No one was immediately available for comment from Sudan's armed forces.
One civilian Sudanese driver was in a critical condition after being shot seven times, once in the shoulder, UNAMID said in a statement.
"The convoy came under fire from the Government of Sudan forces," said the diplomatic source in Darfur.
"It is not clear how it happened. The convoy was travelling after 10 p.m. in the dark. They could have mistaken them for rebels. There have been a lot of things going on in that area recently."
UNAMID said the convoy was taking food and fuel to a UNAMID outpost in the town of Tine close to the border of western Darfur state and Chad.
"A UNAMID Supplies convoy was attacked last night, 7 January 2008, at approximately 2200 Hrs (1900 GMT), on its way from Umm Baru to Tine in Western Darfur.
"The road convoy was on a re-supply mission to UNAMID team sites in the area between Um Baru, Tine and Kulbus, an area which has witnessed violent clashes between the government of Sudan and rebel movements and where UNAMID air operations have been restricted due to the security concerns."
It added that a diesel truck and a UNAMID Armed Personnel Carrier were also damaged in the attack.
The "hybrid" force of AU and U.N. troops replaced a struggling AU mission on January 1. The plan is for it ultimately to comprise 20,000 soldiers and 6,000 police, but only a little over a third of those are so far in place. (Editing by Keith Weir)
KHARTOUM, Jan 8 (Reuters) - Armed men opened fire on a U.N./African Union supply convoy in Sudan's Darfur region, the first attack on the newly formed joint peacekeeping mission, officials said on Tuesday.
A diplomatic source working in the region told Reuters Sudanese Army soldiers had fired at the UNAMID convoy late Monday, apparently confusing the peacekeepers for rebels.
But the UNAMID spokesman Noureddine Mezni said they were still investigating the incident and could not confirm the identity of the attackers.
No one was immediately available for comment from Sudan's armed forces.
One civilian Sudanese driver was in a critical condition after being shot seven times, once in the shoulder, UNAMID said in a statement.
"The convoy came under fire from the Government of Sudan forces," said the diplomatic source in Darfur.
"It is not clear how it happened. The convoy was travelling after 10 p.m. in the dark. They could have mistaken them for rebels. There have been a lot of things going on in that area recently."
UNAMID said the convoy was taking food and fuel to a UNAMID outpost in the town of Tine close to the border of western Darfur state and Chad.
"A UNAMID Supplies convoy was attacked last night, 7 January 2008, at approximately 2200 Hrs (1900 GMT), on its way from Umm Baru to Tine in Western Darfur.
"The road convoy was on a re-supply mission to UNAMID team sites in the area between Um Baru, Tine and Kulbus, an area which has witnessed violent clashes between the government of Sudan and rebel movements and where UNAMID air operations have been restricted due to the security concerns."
It added that a diesel truck and a UNAMID Armed Personnel Carrier were also damaged in the attack.
The "hybrid" force of AU and U.N. troops replaced a struggling AU mission on January 1. The plan is for it ultimately to comprise 20,000 soldiers and 6,000 police, but only a little over a third of those are so far in place. (Editing by Keith Weir)
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