Darfur peacekeepers vehicle boost

By Jonah Fisher
BBC News, Khartoum

The AU has been vulnerable to armed groups in Darfur

A Sudanese decision to allow into Darfur 105 armoured personnel carriers, to protect civilians and aid workers, has been welcomed by the African Union.

The authorities changed their mind on their deployment in the troubled region, after pressure by diplomats.

The AU has nearly 7,000 peacekeeping troops in the region, trying to monitor a tattered ceasefire.

The vehicles should begin arriving on Friday. The AU said it would give them more mobility to respond to incidents.

At the moment peacekeepers travel in the back of pick-up trucks making an easy target for Darfur's many armed groups.

Targets

Early last month four Nigerians were killed when they came across a truck being looted.

Then, to great embarrassment, 40 peacekeepers were taken hostage by a rebel group and ended up being rescued by a rival one.

Canada's offer of the APCs has been waiting approval by the Khartoum government for over two months. They wanted just 35.

Now following intense international lobbying, the vehicles should begin arriving.

A spokesman for the African Union in Khartoum said improved security for the peacekeepers would allow the mission to better protect both civilians and humanitarian convoys.

Two million people are still living in Darfur's overcrowded camps, prevented from returning home by continuing violence.