African Union-UN peacekeepers ambushed in Darfur; one injured, weapons stolen

A joint African Union-United Nations peacekeeping patrol was ambushed in Sudan’s strife-torn Darfur region today by an unidentified armed group, who greatly outnumbered it and seized a machine gun, four rifles and rounds of ammunition.

One peacekeeper was injured in the incident, which occurred near Anka, North Darfur, some 55 kilometres north of Kutum, the African Union-UN Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) reported, strongly condemning the attack.

The over 20,000-strong Mission, set up in 2007 in an effort to stabilize the vast region where the fighting that erupted in 2003 has killed thousands and displaced millions more, is working closely with the relevant Sudanese authorities to investigate the incident.