“Peace Force” for Darfur

BBC - UN backs new Darfur peace force

The United Nations Security Council has voted to send peacekeepers to the war-ravaged Darfur region of Sudan, after months of wrangling.

Up to 26,000 troops and police will make up the world's largest peacekeeping force, under a joint UN and African Union mandate.

Under the new resolution, the first peacekeeping troops will begin arriving in October.

Sudan Accepts UN/AU Force for Darfur

Reuters - Sudan accepts hybrid force for Darfur

Sudan on Tuesday agreed to a combined United Nations and African Union peacekeeping force of more than 20,000 troops and police to be deployed in its troubled Darfur region after months of intense diplomacy.

AU Peace and Security Commissioner Said Djinnit said Khartoum agreed to a hybrid, compromise force of between 17,000 and 19,000 troops and an additional 3,700 police.

UN Troops Traded Gold for Guns

BBC - UN troops 'traded gold for guns'

Pakistani UN peacekeeping troops have traded in gold and sold weapons to Congolese militia groups they were meant to disarm, the BBC has learnt.

These militia groups were guilty of some of the worst human rights abuses during the Democratic Republic of Congo's long civil war.

The trading went on in 2005. A UN investigative team sent to gather evidence was obstructed and threatened.

The team's report was buried by the UN itself to "avoid political fallout".