African Union extends Darfur force for six months

ABUJA, Dec 1 (Reuters) The African Union (AU) extended the mandate of its peacekeeping force in Sudan's Darfur region for six months, after Sudan rejected proposals for the deployment of a larger UN force to replace it.

The authorisation of about 7,000 AU troops in the vast desert region had been due to expire at the end of the year.

''The (AU) peace and security council decided to renew the mandate for six months,'' AU peace and security commissioner Said Djinit said after a council meeting in Nigeria's capital Abuja.

The council, consisting of five African heads of state, endorsed a proposal for a hybrid AU and United Nations force to replace the poorly equipped and thinly spread AU troops, but conceded some ground to Khartoum by deciding that the UN should have only a supporting role.

''By hybrid we mean ... the mission should be essentially African troops, but there might be a case for support elements of the United Nations in areas where the AU is not in a position to provide those elements,'' Djinit said yesterday.

He added that this support would ensure the force had the strength to ensure security in Darfur, deliver humanitarian assistance and protect civilians.

The AU decision left unclear how many peacekeepers Khartoum will allow into Darfur. The UN Security Council and Secretary-General Kofi Annan have said as many as 22,000 may be needed, compared to the 7,000 AU soldiers now there.

The AU peace and security council said force size should be determined by the AU and the United Nations based on the needs on the ground.

But UN officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir wrote Annan earlier on Thursday to say that Khartoum also required a voice in the decision-making.

Experts estimate that 200,000 people have been killed and 2.5 million uprooted in nearly four years by the violence, which the US government has labelled genocide.

Rights groups have accused Khartoum of hindering efforts to provide security and humanitarian relief.

The conflict blew up in early 2003, with Darfur rebels fighting government forces and allied mounted militia known as Janjaweed who unleashed a campaign of rape, looting and arson.

SCEPTICISM Larry Rossin of the Save Darfur Coalition said he welcomed the extension of the AU mandate, but that many details of the new force were still unclear.

''We are sceptical until we see the flesh on the bone. Whatever the arrangements, they should provide credible protection to civilians,'' he said.

The council decided that the commander of the force would be appointed by the AU in consultation with the United Nations and a special representative would be appointed jointly by the AU and UN.

Bashir, present for most of the Abuja meeting, said he would accept UN support for an African peace force in Darfur.

Asked what kind of support he would accept, he replied: ''Political, financial, logistics and technical ... not the command but advising the command.'' The United Nations and AU had earlier this month adopted a proposal for a hybrid force of 17,000 troops and 3,000 police to be deployed in Darfur, but Khartoum expressed reservations over the numbers, Djinit said.

''We believe we are making progress,'' he said.

REUTERS SBA BST0721