Sudan has agreed to let African troops remain in Darfur, but only if they stay under African Union control and not that of the UN. The latest announcement appears to reverse Khartoum's ultimatum on Sunday to AU peacekeepers to leave after September 30. One African diplomat said the government softened its position because it realised expelling the AU would end implementation of an AU-brokered May peace deal between Khartoum and a rebel faction fighting government-supported militias.| “... a presidential adviser said on Monday that the UN mandate's goal was "regime change" in Khartoum...” |
"Sudan will not accept those troops to be transformed into part of a UN force," he said. "Monitoring the borders ... protection of civilians ... creating an independent judiciary has all become the responsibility of the international forces, so what is left for the government?" he said, referring to resolution clauses.
| If the government had actually done anything along those lines, nobody would be talking about UN or AU troops. |
AU troops say; "We're out of here"
The African Union (AU) has reaffirmed its intention to leave Sudan's Darfur region by the end of September when its truce monitors' mandate expires.
The AU wants the UN to take over the mission, but Khartoum rejects this.
"The AU Peace and Security Council met today (Monday) in Addis Ababa and decided to reaffirm that its mandate will end on 30 September in Darfur," Baba Gana Kingibe, the head of the AU mission in Sudan, said in a speech in Khartoum. Sudan had said the AU peacekeeping force should leave Darfur unless it drops plans for the UN to take over its mission. It asked the AU to clarify its intentions.
| This clear enough for you? |