5 September
2013 – The body of an African Union-United Nations peacekeeper who had been
assisting flood victims has been recovered in Darfur, a spokesperson announced
today.
“The African
Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) reports
that one of its patrols has recovered the remains of one of the four
peacekeepers reported missing following floods late last month,” the
spokesperson told journalists in New York.
Six AU-UN
peacekeepers were swept away by powerful currents on 25 August while escorting
UN World Food Programme (WFP) trucks to
Masteri, west Darfur.
The incident
occurred when the peacekeepers attempted to pull out their truck which was
stuck in the mud of a river valley near Nioro village approximately 30
kilometres southwest of El Geneina
A rescue
team later found two of the peacekeepers alive, but four had remained missing.
Established
in July 2007, UNAMID has the protection of civilians as its core mandate. In
addition, the peacekeeping operation is tasked with facilitating the delivery
of humanitarian aid and assisting with an inclusive peace process in Darfur,
where fighting broke out nine years ago, pitting Government forces and allied
militiamen against rebel groups.
In recent
weeks, the UN and its partners in Sudan have been working to provide emergency
support hundreds of thousands of people that have been affected by flooding.
According to
Government estimates, as many as 530,000 people have been affected by the
floods triggered by heavy rains across the country, and at least 74,000 houses
have been damaged or destroyed by the rapidly rising waters.
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