"Darfur a powder keg" says UN Head of Humanitarian Affairs
[[Image:Darfur map.png|right|200px|thumb|Darfur region in western Sudan]]
{{date|November 18, 2006}}

Speaking in {{w|Khartoum}} today, {{w|Jan Egeland}}, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator of the [[United Nations]], said “this is the moment of truth. We are playing with a powder keg”. This followed disagreement about the role that UN would play in providing a force to help deal with the crisis in [[Darfur]].

[[Kofi Annan]], retiring {{w|UN Secretary General}}, yesterday announced agreement of African, Arab and European leaders to provide a 20,000 force to supplement the 7,000 [[African Union]] peacekeepers trying to cope with the situation that had resulted in 240,000 being killed and 2.5 million being displaced during three years of conflict in the western region. 
[[Image:Kofi Annan.jpg|thumb|right|Annan—disagreement over joint peacekeeping force]]
However, {{w|Lam Akol}}, the [[Sudan]]ese foreign minister, said: "What we agreed upon in [[Addis Ababa]] was the [[African Union]] (AU) force assuming full command, while the UN role would be confined to providing technical and logistical assistance to the AU mission." No dates had been agreed for the deployment of the UN forces.

Egeland said that the delay would cause the situation to become infinitely worse and would prevent the ingress of humanitarian aid to the millions affected.

===New violence===

The African Union is reported as saying that Birmaza, a northern village, has been attacked by the Sudanese government troops and {{w|Janjaweed}} militia with air support. 70 dead are reported. The Sudan government has denied that it supports the Janjaweed.

===Darfur conflict threatens to spread===

[[Chad]] Prime Minister {{w|Pascal Yoadimnadji}} says that “mercenaries in the pay of the Sudanese” have invaded towns in northeast [[Central African Republic]]. He said troops would be sent to help the Republic resist these incursions. Sudan continues to deny supporting the mercenaries.

==Sister links==
{{sisters|Darfur conflict}}
==Sources==
*{{source
|url=http://news.scotsman.com/international.cfm?id=1708082006
|title=Can UN stop the killing?
|author=Rob Crilly and Stephanie Hancock
|pub=Scotsman
|date=November 19, 2006}}
*{{source
|url=http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/5F472EE2-718B-45FF-9B9D-7347B78ABFA5.htm
|title=UN sounds Darfur crisis alarm
|author=
|pub=Al Jazeera
|date=November 18, 2006}}
*{{source
|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/6161692.stm
|title=Sudan 'begins new Darfur attacks'
|author=
|pub=BBC
|date=November 18, 2006}}
*{{source
|url=http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20061118.DARFUR18/TPStory/TPInternational/Africa/
|title=Hopes dashed for diplomats to resolve Darfur crisis
|author=Paul Koring
|pub=Globe and Mail
|date=November 18, 2006}}
*{{source
|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/3496731.stm
|title=Q&A: Sudan's Darfur conflict
|author=
|pub=BBC
|date=November 16, 2006}}
*{{source
|url=http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/1E09B2E8-C6EE-4472-9EE4-8BAD36B16479.htm
|title=Joint peace force for Darfur mooted
|author=
|pub=Al Jazeera
|date=November, 17, 2006}}

{{publish}}
{{archived}}

[[Category:Politics and conflicts]]
[[Category:Africa]]
[[Category:Disasters and accidents]]
[[Category:Health]]
[[Category:Sudan]]
[[Category:Darfur]]
[[Category:African Union]]
[[Category:Kofi Annan]]
[[Category:United Nations]]
[[Category:Central African Republic]]
[[Category:Chad]]
Darfur region in western Sudan


Speaking in Jan Egeland, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator of the United Nations, said “this is the moment of truth. We are playing with a powder keg”. This followed disagreement about the role that UN would play in providing a force to help deal with the crisis in Darfur.

Kofi Annan, retiring , yesterday announced agreement of African, Arab and European leaders to provide a 20,000 force to supplement the 7,000 African Union peacekeepers trying to cope with the situation that had resulted in 240,000 being killed and 2.5 million being displaced during three years of conflict in the western region. 
Annan—disagreement over joint peacekeeping force
However, , the Sudanese foreign minister, said: "What we agreed upon in Addis Ababa was the African Union (AU) force assuming full command, while the UN role would be confined to providing technical and logistical assistance to the AU mission." No dates had been agreed for the deployment of the UN forces.

Egeland said that the delay would cause the situation to become infinitely worse and would prevent the ingress of humanitarian aid to the millions affected.

The African Union is reported as saying that Birmaza, a northern village, has been attacked by the Sudanese government troops and  militia with air support. 70 dead are reported. The Sudan government has denied that it supports the Janjaweed.

Chad Prime Minister  says that “mercenaries in the pay of the Sudanese” have invaded towns in northeast Central African Republic. He said troops would be sent to help the Republic resist these incursions. Sudan continues to deny supporting the mercenaries.
Politics and conflicts Africa Disasters and accidents Health Sudan Darfur African Union Kofi Annan United Nations Central African Republic Chad