12/06/2005

Since the civilian police are not armed, the AU protection force accompanies them in case of attack. Approximately twenty Nigerian soldiers patrol with the CIVPOL and the Sudanese police officers in two trucks. Most of the Nigerian officers had been in Sudan for two or three months. Some are veterans of UN missions in Liberia and Sierra Leone. One soldier said, “ I have not fired a shot since I have been here. We hope that we are protecting the women by being here but I do not understand why the men don’t go on patrol with them.”