NYARUGENGE - A Sudanese government official has revealed that they know who were behind the attacks on UNAMID forces in which five Rwandan peacekeepers lost their lives in Darfur.

A Sudanese delegation that was in the country last week headed by President Omar al-Bashir’s Special Envoy, Bona Malwal, revealed that their government was aware of those responsible and had requested to be on the investigation team.

During their meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs Rosemary Museminali, the Sudanese Ambassador to Uganda, Hassan Gadkarim, who was also part of the delegation, passed a hand-written note to Malwal to be read to the media.

A copy of the note which The New Times obtained read: ‘The Government of Sudan informed UNAMID of those who were responsible for the attacks and asked it (UNAMID) whether it would accept it (Sudan) to participate in hunting for the perpetrators and get back the equipment and arms taken.’

The note also adds that ‘so far UNAMID has not responded to the Sudanese request.’

The five RDF soldiers serving under the hybrid AU/UN mission in Darfur (UNAMID) died early last month when a convoy they were escorting was ambushed in Shangiya Tobaya, 40km south of El-Fasher in the Sudanese troubled area of Darfur.

It was the deadliest attack on the international mission since its deployment and highlighted the vulnerability of the short-staffed and under-equipped force.

Asked why the Sudanese government does not go ahead and investigate the suspects since they have a lead, Malwal said that his government is handicapped and cannot carry out any investigations without the blessing of UNAMID.

"The government of Sudan is absolutely handicapped; the mandate of UNAMID does not give a green light to Sudan to carry out any activity in an area that is controlled by UNAMID. The UN has put tight restrictions on us,” said Malwal.

Earlier reports had implicated the Janjaweed rebel group to have been behind the killings; reports have also accused the Sudanese government of sponsoring the Janjaweeds.

Asked about the relations of the Sudanese government with the Janjaweeds, Malwal said, "We do not have any relations with the Janjaweeds. This is something created by the Western media.

However, for the government to bring back peace to Darfur, we have to answer the needs of the Janjaweeds.”
After the killing of the peacekeeping troops, the UN immediately condemned the killings and launched investigations which are still going on.

The attack on the peacekeepers also claimed the lives of two policemen, one from Ghana and the other from Uganda.

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