Darfur: AMIS CivPol Killed in Feb. 1 Hijacking in Kutum

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 000159 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV KPKO PREF PHUM AU SU SUBJECT: Darfur: AMIS CivPol Killed in Feb. 1 Hijacking in Kutum IDP Camp ¶1. (U) On February 1, unidentified assailants shot and killed an African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) civilian police (CivPol) officer during a hijacking of an AMIS vehicle in Kassab internally displaced persons camp in Kutum, North Darfur, on the morning of February 1. ¶2. (U) AMIS condemned the incident on February 2; the text of its press release is as follows: (Begin text) Office of the Spokesperson Press Release No. 04/07 The UN Condemns the Killing of a Civilian Police Monitor of the African Union Mission in Sudan 1 February, Khartoum: The United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) strongly condemns the killing of a member of Civilian Police of the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) who was shot dead today by unknown armed men during a hijacking of an AMIS vehicle inside Kassab camp in Kutum, North Darfur. UNMIS extends its condolences to the family of the victim and to the African Union Mission in Sudan. UNMIS urges all parties to fully cooperate with AMIS and to ensure the safety and security of its personnel. UNMIS requests the release of the AMIS peacekeeper abducted on 10 December 2006 and handover of all AMIS vehicles hijacked. UNMIS is particularly alarmed at the fact that the killing happened inside an IDP camp and urges all concerned to prevent the presence and access of armed individuals to camps. (End text) ¶3. (SBU) Comment: Vehicle thefts, often accompanied by deadly force, continue in Darfur, whether for service as armed vehicles ("technicals"),smuggling, trade, or transport. Combined with a general trend in violence directed toward AMIS troops, this attack underscores an increasingly insecure environment in much of North Darfur. It is likely that this incident will be investigated following an upcoming Cease-fire Commission meeting. POWERS