Refugees International: Reports: Visual Mission: Patrolling with the African Union in Darfur

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Visual Mission: Patrolling with the African Union in Darfur

The African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) is trying to perform a huge job with a small force. Its job is to investigate violations of a very porous ceasefire agreement between the government of Sudan and rebel groups and to protect civilians and humanitarian activities. The force, which is just reaching its authorized strength of 3,320 ceasefire monitors, soldiers and civilian police, must patrol an arid area the size of Texas. The AU regularly patrols from its eight sector headquarters and other outposts to investigate ceasefire violations, protect civilians facing armed threats and build confidence that at least one force in Darfur is committed to stability. Ken Bacon of Refugees International recently went on a typical patrol with the AU.

Darfur 2005: African Union Stuck in the Sand

Photo Credit: Refugees International
02/20/2005
A four-vehicle patrol left from the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) sector headquarters in El Geneina, the capital of West Darfur and headed south toward the village of Masteri, the site of a large population of internally displaced people. There are no paved roads in the area. The lead truck got stuck in the sand about 30 minutes after departure. We were not alone; vehicles were stuck along the route, which passed several villages that had been abandoned following attacks by nomadic soldiers, called Janjaweed, who are supported by the government of Sudan. It took about two hours to reach Masteri, about 25 miles away.