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| African force to stay in Darfur | |
| (about 10 hours later) | |
| The African Union (AU) has agreed to extend the mandate of its peacekeeping force in the Sudanese region of Darfur for a further six months from January. | The African Union (AU) has agreed to extend the mandate of its peacekeeping force in the Sudanese region of Darfur for a further six months from January. |
| African leaders failed to agreed to an expansion of the 7,000-strong force, often said to be weak and ill-equipped. | African leaders failed to agreed to an expansion of the 7,000-strong force, often said to be weak and ill-equipped. |
| The Sudanese government has repeatedly refused to allow a larger UN force to replace the AU peacekeepers. | The Sudanese government has repeatedly refused to allow a larger UN force to replace the AU peacekeepers. |
| More than 200,000 people have died in three and a half years of conflict. Over two million have been displaced. | More than 200,000 people have died in three and a half years of conflict. Over two million have been displaced. |
| The decision to extend the mandate - which was due to expire on 31 December - was announced after a meeting of African heads of state in the Nigerian capital, Abuja. | The decision to extend the mandate - which was due to expire on 31 December - was announced after a meeting of African heads of state in the Nigerian capital, Abuja. |
| We want an African force. We can take technical, advisory and financial support from the UN, but no UN force Sudan President Omar al-Bashir href="/1/hi/world/africa/6144498.stm" class="">Q&A: Peacekeeping in Darfur | |
| The council also endorsed a proposal for a hybrid AU and UN force, but conceded ground to Khartoum by deciding that the UN should only have a supporting role. | The council also endorsed a proposal for a hybrid AU and UN force, but conceded ground to Khartoum by deciding that the UN should only have a supporting role. |
| "By hybrid we mean... the mission should be essentially African troops, but there might be a case for support elements from the UN," AU peace and security commissioner Said Djinit said. | "By hybrid we mean... the mission should be essentially African troops, but there might be a case for support elements from the UN," AU peace and security commissioner Said Djinit said. |
| He added that the size of the force would be "based on the assessments of the African Union" on the ground. | He added that the size of the force would be "based on the assessments of the African Union" on the ground. |
| Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir said he would accept UN support but added: "We want an African force. We can take technical, advisory and financial support from the UN, but no UN force." | Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir said he would accept UN support but added: "We want an African force. We can take technical, advisory and financial support from the UN, but no UN force." |
| Save Darfur Coalition spokesman Larry Rossin said many details of the new force were unclear. | Save Darfur Coalition spokesman Larry Rossin said many details of the new force were unclear. |
| "We are sceptical until we see the flesh on the bone. Whatever the arrangements, they should provide credible protection to civilians," he said. | "We are sceptical until we see the flesh on the bone. Whatever the arrangements, they should provide credible protection to civilians," he said. |
| A hybrid mission of 17,000 soldiers and 3,000 police was proposed earlier this month after a meeting of the UN, the AU and Sudanese delegates, but talks faltered after Khartoum expressed reservations over the numbers involved. | A hybrid mission of 17,000 soldiers and 3,000 police was proposed earlier this month after a meeting of the UN, the AU and Sudanese delegates, but talks faltered after Khartoum expressed reservations over the numbers involved. |
| The Sudanese government has repeatedly rejected plans to transform the African force into the 20,000-strong UN mission agreed to by the Security Council in August. | The Sudanese government has repeatedly rejected plans to transform the African force into the 20,000-strong UN mission agreed to by the Security Council in August. |
| The UN wants to send a full international peacekeeping operation to end what some governments have called genocide perpetrated by the Sudanese army and its associated militias. | The UN wants to send a full international peacekeeping operation to end what some governments have called genocide perpetrated by the Sudanese army and its associated militias. |
| 'Desperate need' | 'Desperate need' |
| Meanwhile, the UN human rights council has agreed to hold an emergency session to investigate human rights violations in Darfur. | Meanwhile, the UN human rights council has agreed to hold an emergency session to investigate human rights violations in Darfur. |
| Refugees from fighting in Darfur tell their storiesIn pictures | Refugees from fighting in Darfur tell their storiesIn pictures |
| The meeting in Geneva was told by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and human rights commissioner Louis Arbour that the violations in Darfur and the involvement of the Sudanese government could no longer be overlooked. | The meeting in Geneva was told by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and human rights commissioner Louis Arbour that the violations in Darfur and the involvement of the Sudanese government could no longer be overlooked. |
| The session is due to be held in Geneva on 12 December. | The session is due to be held in Geneva on 12 December. |
| The UN's aid chief Jan Egeland recently warned that the number of people in "desperate need" of aid in Darfur had risen to 4 million, compared to 1 million two years ago. | The UN's aid chief Jan Egeland recently warned that the number of people in "desperate need" of aid in Darfur had risen to 4 million, compared to 1 million two years ago. |
| The UN estimates that at least 200,000 people have died from the effects of the three-and-a-half year war. | |
| Mr Bashir says the scale of the problems has been exaggerated and 9,000 have been killed in the fighting. |