News: Darfur peacekeepers: UN-armed or unarmed?

On April 9th, gunmen have attacked a UNAMID (UN African Mission in Darfur) police patrol, two kilometres (one mile) from the Zam Zam camp for internally displaced persons.

The officers were ordered out of their vehicles and the four gunmen stole their personal belongings and official identity cards. One officer was repeatedly hit in the neck by the back of an AK-47 when he hesitated in obeying instructions to get back into the vehicle.

"UNAMID police do not carry weapons and Wednesday's patrol was operating without protection", according to Noureddine Mezni, the UN African Mission spokesman. He added that "this was for confidence-building purposes and for easier contact with the civilians they aim to protect". (Full)

More posts on The Road, about Darfur and Sudan.

Picture courtesy Reuters