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 UNITED NATIONS (AP) - The United Nations, the African Union and the Sudanese government have reached agreement to beef up the African force in Sudan's violence-wracked Darfur region with U.N. troops, police and equipment, officials said Tuesday.
U.N. deputy spokeswoman Marie Okabe said a high-level technical meeting in Ethiopia on Monday set the stage for bolstering the 7,000-strong AU force. The package will include more than 3,000 U.N. troops, police, and others as well as substantial equipment.
The United Nations and Sudan agreed in November on a three-stage plan to strengthen the AU force, culminating with the deployment of a joint AU-U.N. force with 20,000 security personnel. But Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has since backed off the deal, saying he would only allow a larger AU force, with technical and logistical support from the United Nations.
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