Nato airlifts peacekeepers into Darfur
Nato has started a three-month airlift of African peacekeepers into Sudan’s strife-torn Darfur region, the alliance said today.
In a statement, Nato said the operation began with the deployment of Nigerian troops into the region last week. It said the airlift would continue into September.
Nato and the European Union agreed last month to help fly some 5,000 troops from African Union nations into Darfur to strengthen the AU’s existing monitoring force of 2,700 troops.
Nato officials said the first flight of Nigerian troops left for Darfur on July 1. They said Nigeria had chartered the plane itself with financing from Britain.
Troops from other African nations will use transport planes from Nato nations, with the US planning to fly in Rwandan troops and France due to take soldiers from Senegal.
Other nations expected to send troops include Gambia, Kenya and South Africa.
War-induced hunger and disease have killed more than 180,000 people in Darfur and driven more than 2 million from their homes, according to UN estimates.
Rebels took up arms in Darfur in February 2003, complaining of discrimination and oppression by Sudan’s Arab-dominated government. The government is accused of responding by backing a scorched-earth counterinsurgency by Arab militias, known as the Janjaweed.
Nato is not planning to deploy troops of its own to the region, but has sent eight experts to Africa to help co-ordinate the airlift. Twenty-four more Nato officers will be sent to help train AU headquarters staff in Nairobi, Kenya, and prepar a command exercise.
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