Darfur blue helmets committed to staying the course, despite attacks – UN

Morale among peacekeepers in the war-torn Sudanese region of Darfur remains high, despite the recent attacks that have claimed the lives of five blue helmets, a top United Nations official said today.

Two attacks in as many days, roundly condemned by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and others, resulted in the deaths of five Rwandan peacekeepers serving with the joint African Union-United Nations mission in Darfur (UNAMID).

“The force remains very committed and it’s clear that they will continue their job,” Alain LeRoy, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, told reporters in New York today.

Troops are on high alert in the wake of the attacks, but they are pressing ahead with their work “which is for the sake of peace and protection of the people of Darfur,” he stressed.

At least 300,000 people are estimated to have died and 2.7 million more have been driven from their homes in the fighting between the Government, its militia allies and various armed groups.

The deaths of the Rwandan peacekeepers bring the total number of peacekeepers who have lost their lives in Darfur since UNAMID deployed at the start of 2008 to 22. In July 2007 a joint police and military patrol from the preceding AU mission was ambushed by at least 200 attackers, leaving seven peacekeepers dead and 22 wounded.

The recent attacks follow the shooting and wounding of three other peacekeepers, also by unidentified gunmen, in West Darfur in October, and the killing of another in South Darfur in May, as well as the kidnapping of two UNAMID civilian staff members in August in West Darfur. They are still being held.

Also addressing reporters today at the same press conference was Under-Secretary-General for Field Support Susana Malcorra, who recently wrapped up a visit to Sudan.

One of her top priorities, she said, is to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel in the face of increasing challenges.

“We are facing a changing reality,” Ms. Malcorra said, adding that her office is looking into “how to take care of the safety and security of our staff in a more systematic manner.”