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| Africa North |
| Sudan intensifies search for missing European peacekeeper |
| 2008-03-04 |
| Sudan on Tuesday ordered its armed forces to step up searches for a Western soldier missing in war-torn Darfur for a second day since EU troops in Chad strayed across the border, sparking deadly clashes. Sudanese authorities said they received and welcomed a formal apology from European officials that some peacekeepers in Chad had "accidentally" crossed the remote border and opened fire on Sudanese troops. France appealed to Sudan to help find the French commando, who has been missing for a second day, as the EU peacekeeping mission in Chad and French officials voiced growing concern for the man. ... EUFOR's Irish commander Lieutenant General Patrick Nash said the peacekeeping force was committed to respecting Sudanese sovereignty. He voiced "regret for the inadvertent crossing of the Sudanese border by a single EUFOR landrover-type vehicle, which became detached from the main body and unfortunately strayed unintentionally into Sudan." EUFOR "carries out its mandate in full respect of the sovereignty of the Sudanese border," Nash added. The chief of staff in Paris said the missing soldier was French and that another French soldier found in the vehicle and lightly wounded was evacuated by helicopter to a field hospital in the CAR. (Sudanese Army spokesman) Agbash said: "There was a brief exchange of fire when a vehicle carrying non-African forces entered Sudanese territory and was fired upon. Then three more non-African forces vehicles arrived. "You can't do something twice and say it was a mistake." Sudan had warned EUFOR it had no mandate to cross the border into Sudan. |
| Posted by:ed |
| #1 I remember the old WW2 message "Shoot them down politely". |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2008-03-04 23:33 |