Deadly Darfur Attack Targets Peacekeepers Amid Aid Pullout

By Michelle A. Vu, Christian Post Reporter Monday, October 01, 2007

An unprecedented attack on an African Union base in Darfur killed at least 10 peacekeeping troops over the weekend after a few aid groups announced plans to either reduce workers or pull out of the increasingly unstable region.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned the bloody attack on Monday "in the strongest possible terms" as he called for involved parties to "recommit" to a peaceful resolution, according to CNN.

Rebels killed at least 10 African Union soldiers, wounded another 10 and left missing about 30 peacekeepers after Saturday's heavy assault on the Haskanita base in northern Darfur.

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It was the worst single attack on A.U. forces since the 7,000-strong mission was deployed to western Sudan in 2004.

U.S. President George W. Bush's chief spokeswoman Dana Perino said the president wants to deploy U.N. peacekeeping force "as soon as possible" on Monday in response to the attack.

"What the president wants is that U.N. peacekeeping force to get there as soon as possible because we are committed to ending the violence and providing assistance to people who are suffering," said Perino, according to Agence France-Presse.

The first team of the 26,000-strong hybrid A.U.-U.N. force is due to be deployed this month, according to The Associated Press. The new mission is expected to take responsibility for Darfur on Dec. 31.

More than 2.5 million people have been displaced and some 200,000 people killed due to violence instigated by Arab militias known as janjaweed since 2003. Khartoum is widely accused by both Darfurians and the international community of unleashing the pro-government janjaweed on Darfurians after rebels from ethnic African tribes in the region rose up against the central government.

Last week, at the United Nations Security Council meeting, Bush denounced the violence in Darfur as "genocide" and demanded that Sudanese government and rebel groups cease hostilities to let aid reach victims.

"Maybe some don't think it's genocide," said Bush on Sept. 25, according to Bloomberg. "If you are mercilessly killed by roaming bands, you know it is genocide. And the fundamental question is, are we in the free world willing to do more?"

Darfur is the recipient of the world's largest ongoing humanitarian effort with a budget of over $1 billion a year and with some 14,000 aid workers, including 1,000 internationally, deployed, according to the United Nations.

However, many aid groups have in recent months pulled out of Darfur due to increasing security concerns.

The Norwegian Refugee Council, Medecins du Monde, and Save the Children U.K. have already left. Meanwhile, the British aid agency Oxfam said last week it would consider withdrawing from Darfur if security worsened, according to Reuters.

Christian relief agency World Vision International said Thursday that it would reduce its operation in the area after its staff suffered three attacks within a week – the latest attack occurring on Sept. 22 when three aid workers were shot by rebels.

"World Vision has not suspended operations; we have scaled down" Michael Arunga, communications manger for World Vision, told Reuters.

"If we are to pull out, that is going to be disastrous," he added.

World Vision is one of the largest aid groups working in South Darfur, feeding 500,000 people and operating a half-dozen clinics, emergency nutrition centers and child care centers. The relief agency spends over $1 million per month in South Darfur.

Following the recent events, World Vision has asked all non-essential staff in the south to leave. Now, about 77 of the agency's 308 Sudanese employees remain along with about half of its 20 international staff.

"It can be demoralizing, but we are aware this is a war zone," said Abraham Hadoto, who heads World Vision in South Darfur, according to AP.

He added, however, that World Vision is "committed to stay until we reach absolute breaking point."

Other groups which were recently victims of violence include the International Committee of the Red Cross, the Red Crescent, UNICEF, the U.S.-based Samaritan's Purse and the French-based Action Contre la Faim, according to AP.

Also, three ACT-Caritas staffs were held for nearly 30 hours by an armed group in Darfur before being released into police custody late last month. Following the incident, all non-life saving ACT-Caritas operations around the area of attack were suspended and all non-essential staff were sent home.

Khadija Moussa, a refugee who spent four years in Otash refugee camp next to Nyala, expressed her concern over the departure of aid groups from the region.

"We need the charities to stay in the camps," she lamented to AP. "We can't survive without them"

Since the beginning of the year, 105 humanitarian workers were temporarily taken hostage and 66 were physically or sexually assaulted in Darfur. Moreover, 61 convoys were ambushed or looted, and 98 vehicles hijacked.

Attacks on humanitarian workers in Darfur increased by 150 percent from June 2006 to June 2007, the U.N. reported.