U.N. peacekeeper from Ethiopia killed in Darfur

KHARTOUM, Sudan – A United Nations peacekeeper who was among a small group of reinforcements sent to Darfur was shot to death at his residence – the U.N.’s first casualty since its long-negotiated arrival in the troubled region, officials said Saturday.

Gunmen shot the Egyptian lieutenant colonel in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state, and looted his home late Friday, the African Union and U.N. said.

Sudan’s hard-line President Omar al-Bashir reiterated his opposition Saturday to a 22,000-strong joint U.N.-AU force for Darfur. Al-Bashir agreed in November to a three-phase U.N. plan to strengthen the overstretched, 7,000-strong AU force in Darfur, where more than 200,000 people have been killed and 2.5 million chased from their homes in four years of fighting.

After five months of stalling, the Sudanese president gave the go-ahead in April for the second phase – a “heavy support package” with 3,000 U.N. troops, police and civilian personnel along with six attack helicopters and other equipment. But he has backed off the third phase – the deployment of the 22,000-strong joint U.N.-AU force, saying he would only allow a larger African force with technical and logistical support from the United Nations.