Chad peacekeeping mandate renewed

UN: The UN Security Council has extended the mandate of the peacekeeping forces in eastern Chad, which includes 450 Irish troops, and in the Central African Republic and said it would keep international peacekeepers there beyond the March 2009 expiration of the forces' mandates.

The council decided a year ago to deploy an EU peacekeeping force in the two countries, as well as a UN mission, to train and support Chadian police to guard UN-run refugee camps.

Since early this year, more than 3,000 European soldiers from in excess of a dozen countries have been on a one-year mission to protect refugees, civilians and aid workers in eastern Chad from the conflict spilling over from Sudan's Darfur region.

Wednesday's Security Council resolution extended the mandate of the force until March 15th, 2009, and expressed the council's intention to deploy UN peacekeepers to follow up the EU force .

It asked secretary-general Ban Ki-moon to start planning and raising troops and logistics for such a force.

The EU mission may have to remain in place for a limited period beyond its original mission to ensure that there is no gap in the deployment of UN troops.

A report to the security council by Mr Ban acknowledged that the EU force was beginning to have a positive effect but that the security situation has deteriorated in eastern Chad over the past six months despite their deployment.

"Carjackings, armed robberies and crime targeting national and international humanitarian staff continue regularly.

"So far in 2008, six humanitarian aid workers have been killed and 107 security incidents involving humanitarian workers have been reported," states the report. - ( Reuters )

© 2008 The Irish Times

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times