KHARTOUM, Sept 18 (Reuters) - Peacekeepers in Sudan's Darfur came under fire as they flew in to investigate reports of fighting in the region, officers said on Thursday, the fourth time their helicopters have been shot at in recent weeks.Officers from the joint U.N./African Union UNAMID force said they fear rebel groups were targeting their aircraft, mistaking them for government helicopters which, despite regular protests, often use the same white livery.
The attacks have also raised concerns among aid workers who rely on the flights to take them to remote corners of the area."The helicopter was about to land when they heard shots and saw tracers," said UNAMID spokesman Kemal Saiki.More than five years of fighting in Darfur has killed 200,000 people and forced more than 2.5 million to flee their homes, say international experts. Khartoum says 10,000 have died.The helicopter was attacked on Wednesday morning as it flew into the village of Birmaza, a settlement in North Darfur that rebel groups said was attacked by government troops and bombers.
Insurgent groups have accused government forces of launching a string of attacks against their positions in North Darfur over the past two weeks. One former rebel leader said the bombing continued on Thursday. His report could not be verified.Sudan's armed forces deny attacking rebels and say soldiers are in the area to protect humanitarian convoys against bandits.
Saiki said the latest helicopter carried 12 UNAMID officers who were planning to check on reports that fighting. The helicopter aborted its mission and returned to base unscathed.On Sunday, armed groups opened fire on another UNAMID helicopter, damaging its fuel tank. Two other helicopters came under fire in August, one of them hit by four bullets.
Saiki said it was unclear who had fired on the helicopter on Wednesday. But there were growing fears rebels were confusing UNAMID aircraft with the Sudanese army's attack helicopters.
A U.N. report in 2007 accused Sudanese forces in Darfur of violating a string of international agreements by painting their planes and adding insignia to make them look like U.N. aircraft.
Aid groups said any further attacks on aircraft in Darfur could have a devastating impact on their work." No one wants to use the roads because they keep being shot at," said Alun McDonald, spokesman for Oxfam in Sudan. "If they are starting to shoot at helicopters now, that doesn't leave us with many options." Mohamed Dirbeen, military spokesman for the arm of the Sudan Liberation Movement led by Minni Arcua Minnawi, said government aircraft bombed villages close to the town of Tawila in North Darfur on Thursday morning, leaving seven villagers dead and nine injured. The figures could not be confirmed.
Minnawi was the only rebel leader to sign a peace deal with Sudan's government in 2006.No one was immediately available from Sudan's armed forces to comment on the livery issue or the latest reports of attacks on Thursday.
Source: Reuters
By Andrew Heavens
No comments:
Post a Comment