UNAMID, the UN peacekeeping force will become the world’s largest peacekeeping force with 26,000 troops. They will be taking control of the peacekeeping mission from the African Union. While the United Nations takes over, the 7,000-strong African Union force will be working for the UN.
The commander of the African Union force will now be wearing a blue beret instead of the signature AU green beret. At a ceremony, the green beret would be swapped for a blue beret.
So far, Sudan’s government has been accused of blocking full deployment of the peacekeeping force. Sudan insists that only African and Muslim troops can take part in the peacekeeping mission.
About 200,000 have died in the fighting that lasted for five years. Over two million people have fled from their homes.
Rodolphe Adada, the head of UNAMID, called for more troops to be sent to the region as soon as possible. An extra 2,000 troops have been sent to Darfur.
“We are determined to deploy the most robust force possible so that it can carry out effectively the difficult mandate the Security Council has entrusted to it,” Adada said while the UN flag was hoisted in el-Fasher, the capital of the Darfur region.
According to AU spokesman, Noureddine Mezni, more would arrive by the middle of January.
“In an area like Darfur, the size of France, we cannot do the job properly without these things. We appeal to the international community and all those able to provide us with these things to do so as soon as possible,” as Menzi was quoted by the Associated Press.
The transfer of the mission to the UN comes as Sudan accuses Chadian forces and Darfur rebels of launching new attacks. Chad denies the accusations.
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