October 28 in History: 50 Nigerian Troops Arrive in Darfur As U.S. Airlift First Wave of 3000 AU Forces

On October 28, 2004, a contingent of 50 Nigerian soldiers arrived in Darfur, Sudan aboard a United States military aircraft, marking the first wave of 3,000 additional African Union troops being deployed to monitor a shaky cease-fire in the war-torn region.

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The African Union (AU) announced the arrival from its headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

According to the African Union (AU), a further 237 soldiers from Rwanda are expected to arrive on Saturday.

“More troops from Nigeria and from other African countries are expected to be deployed in the following days,” the AU said in a statement.

The deployment is part of a major expansion of the African Mission in Sudan (AMIS). Earlier this month, the 53-nation AU announced it would boost its force in Darfur from 390 to 3,320 troops and civilian police.

The expanded force will include 450 unarmed military observers, up from 80 currently deployed to monitor the cease-fire between two rebel groups and government troops, 2,341 armed troops to protect the observers, 815 civilian police officers and 164 civilian staff.

The AU said the new deployments, together with the 310 military personnel from Nigeria and Rwanda sent to Darfur in August, will bring the military component of the mission to 597 troops.

The United States transported the Nigerian soldiers on Oct. 28, as the AU aims to have the additional troops in place by early November. The AU had cited lack of funds and logistical difficulties for the delay.

The US $220-million one-year operation will be funded mainly by the European Union and the United States. The United Nations has pledged $100 million to support the force.

The conflict in Darfur, which erupted in February 2003 between nomadic Arab tribes and African farming communities, has killed an estimated 70,000 people and driven more than 1.5 million people from their homes, according to UN figures.

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