Peacekeepers in Darfur may be forced to leave

THE African Union lacks the funds to maintain its peacekeeping force or to boost its efficiency amid a deteriorating security and humanitarian situation in Sudan’s Darfur, a top AU official warned yesterday.

While the US, the AU and others have called for deployment of a strong UN peacekeeping force to replace the ill-equipped and underfunded AU force in Darfur by October 1, the Sudanese government vocally opposes the move. The UN has asked the 7,000-strong AU force to stay beyond the end of its mandate in September.

But the chief AU negotiator in Sudan, Sam Ibok, said the AU had not decided if it would prolong its mission.