10 African Union troops killed in central Darfur; rebel faction suspected

NAIROBI, KENYA —  Armed men killed at least 10 African Union soldiers and seriously wounded seven others in the deadliest strike against peacekeeping troops in Darfur since they deployed in 2004.

A faction of Darfur rebels was believed responsible for the assault, which began shortly after sunset Saturday. Rebel groups had been fighting Sudanese government troops nearby in recent days.

But AU officials said they could not comment on the suspected identity of the gunmen until a formal investigation was concluded.

At least 30 vehicles and several hundred gunmen swarmed the AU base in the central Darfur town of Haskanita, setting fire to vehicles, ransacking tents and escaping with weapons, nearly a dozen trucks and other supplies, officials said.

“They nearly destroyed the camp,” AU spokesman Noureddine Mezni said. “Everyone is shocked.”

According to early reports, 50 AU troops remain missing, but it was unclear whether those soldiers had been captured or had scattered in the chaos. Government soldiers have sealed off the town in response to the violence.

As peace remains elusive in Darfur, Sudan’s western region, more than a dozen rebel groups with various agendas are competing for power. Two years ago, there were two main rebel groups in the region. The bloodshed marked the latest breakdown in efforts to negotiate a cease-fire before peace talks scheduled this month in Libya.

United Nations officials expressed surprise at the scale of the attack, but pledged to carry on with plans to dispatch 26,000 peacekeepers by next year to assist the beleaguered 7,000-soldier AU force.

“It was quite a vicious attack,” U.N. spokeswoman Radhia Achouri said. “But neither the U.N. nor the AU is going to be dropping the ball because of such attacks.”

Since the start of the Darfur conflict in 2003, rebel groups have typically armed themselves by attacking Sudanese government troops and stealing their guns and supplies. Over the last year, however, insurgents have also targeted peacekeepers and aid agencies in their search for money and vehicles.

Relations between rebel factions and AU forces also have become increasingly strained during the last two years. Rebels blame AU troops for failing to protect civilians and working too closely with the government.

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edmund.sanders@latimes.com