Darfur attack kills peacekeepers

[eppur_se_muova]

Source: BBC

An attack on an African Union army base in the Sudanese region of Darfur has killed at least 10 peacekeepers.

Thirty vehicles overran the base, and 50 AU soldiers were missing and seven seriously injured. Vehicles and property were looted or vandalised.

Rebel sources told the BBC that the raiders were members of breakaway factions from two rebel groups.
***
The casualties were the most serious suffered by the AU mission since it arrived in 2003, an AU statement said.

Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7020596.stm

[applegrove]

1. Horrid.

[Whoa_Nelly]

2. Tragic

[Omaha Steve]

3. Rebels Kill 10 Peacekeepers in Darfur

Source: Associated Press

By ALFRED de MONTESQUIOU

HASKANITA, Sudan (AP) - Rebel forces stormed a small African Union base in northern Darfur and killed at least 10 peacekeepers, leaving behind charred armored vehicles and bombed out barracks in an unprecedented attack on the beleaguered mission that threatened upcoming peace talks.

More than 30 peacekeepers were still missing by late Sunday, indicating the death toll from the attack could rise significantly.

About 1,000 rebels from the Sudan Liberation Army attacked the base outside the town of Haskanita Saturday after sunset when Muslims break their daytime fast for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, AU officers told The Associated Press Sunday at the scene of the attack. The rebels eventually stormed the base early Sunday, they said.


African Union peacekeepers evacuate an African Union camp, Haskanita, northern Darfur, Sudan, Sunday, Sept. 30, 2007. Rebel forces stormed a small African Union base in northern Darfur killing 10 peacekeepers from the beleaguered mission in an unprecedented attack that threatened key peace talks set for October. Several others were wounded and dozens were missing in action after the attack on the base in Haskanita just after sunset on Saturday, said AU officials in Sudan. (AP Photo/Alfred de Montesquiou)


"We battled for hours, but when we ran out of ammunition, we took refuge in this ditch," said a Nigerian peacekeeper who would only give his first name, Aboubakar, because he was not authorized to speak to the media. He showed a corner of the camp riddled with bullet marks and mortar holes where the AU troops mounted their resistance.

Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20070930/D8S03GI81.htmla

[ellisonz]

4. Rebels kill 10 AU peacekeepers in Darfur

Source: Associated Press

Rebels kill 10 AU peacekeepers in Darfur

By ALFRED de MONTESQUIOU, Associated Press Writer 37 minutes ago

HASKANITA, Sudan - Out of ammunition, clinging to a corner of their camp as rebel forces tore the refuge apart with rocket-propelled grenades and mortar fire, African Union troops meant to safeguard Darfur became the latest victims of the violence there.

In the worst attack yet on the AU peacekeeping contingent in the region, at least 10 of the AU soldiers were killed over the weekend when rebels overran their small base in northern Darfur, an act that puts into jeopardy upcoming peace talks meant to calm the ravaged area.

"We battled for hours, but when we ran out of ammunition, we took refuge in this ditch," said a Nigerian peacekeeper who would only give his first name, Aboubakar, because he was not authorized to speak to the media. He showed the portion of the camp riddled with bullet marks and mortar holes where the AU troops mounted their resistance.

Rebel forces left behind charred armored vehicles and bombed out barracks in the unprecedented attack. More than 30 peacekeepers were still missing by late Sunday, indicating the death toll from the attack could rise significantly.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071001/ap_on_re_af/sudan_darfur

[provis99]

5. Makes me lose some sympathy for the Darfur side

If they really are Darfur rebels, and not government soldiers in disguise, it leads me to think that maybe the janjaweed militias may have a point.

[Kagemusha]

6. This part makes me think it's nothing that far-fetched

"The Sudanese army came to the AU troop's aid and routed the rebels early Sunday and the remaining AU peacekeepers were evacuated under the protection of the army. By afternoon, some government troops could be seen plundering goods from the burned-out camp as an AU armored vehicle smoldered nearby."

That's too much to fake. They wouldn't be trading fire if they were secretly allies.