UN-contracted chopper ‘detained’ by Sudan rebels: Unamid
A helicopter and its crew contracted by peacekeepers in Sudan’s Darfur have been “detained” be rebels in the troubled region for 10 days, the mission said on Tuesday. The Mi-8 chopper was contracted by a Russian company and did not carry UN markings, Christopher Cycmanick, acting spokesman for the African Union-UN Mission in Darfur (Unamid), told AFP. One of the crew members is Sudanese while the other two are foreign, he said, without giving their nationality. The helicopter was delivering supplies to UNAMID locations in South Darfur state when a mechanical failure forced it to make an emergency landing on August 3, southeast of Nyala city, Cycmanick said. “The crew members, a total of three, were detained by members of SLA-Minni Minawi,” he said, referring to one of Darfur’s main rebel groups. “Since that time, communication has been maintained with all parties and negotiations have been underway for gaining the safe release of the crew as well as the recovery of the helicopter,” Cycmanick said. Hussein Minnawi, a member of the Minnawi group’s political bureau, told AFP that an investigation was underway to determine if the chopper was owned by a private firm or the government. “I think if it is a private (helicopter) then it will be released,” he said. “We are in conflict with the government, not private” firms. The aircraft landed west of Ed Daein town, where separate attacks on Monday hit a Unamid police patrol on Monday in a region where the Arab Rizeigat and Ma’alia tribes have been fighting.(The excerpt above is a summary of the reporting by AFP on the news) Emergency landing Earlier this month, Radio Dabanga reported that the Unamid helicopter had to make an emergency landing in South Darfur on Saturday, 3 August.Minni Minawi then told Radio Dabanga that a technical fault forced the helicopter to set down in “a part of South Darfur controlled by the movement”.He said the aircraft, with its crew of three, which include a Sudanese national and two Ukrainians, was operated by the Gulf Cooperation Committee (GCC) Helicopter Safety Team and “working with Unamid”.The rebel leader added his movement was in contact with the company and the aircraft and crew would be “released immediately following the investigation”.File photo by Albert Gonzalez Farran/Unamid Related: Sudan President’s plane denied Saudi fly-over en route to Iran (4 August 2013)
A helicopter and its crew contracted by peacekeepers in Sudan’s Darfur have been “detained” be rebels in the troubled region for 10 days, the mission said on Tuesday.
The Mi-8 chopper was contracted by a Russian company and did not carry UN markings, Christopher Cycmanick, acting spokesman for the African Union-UN Mission in Darfur (Unamid), told AFP.
One of the crew members is Sudanese while the other two are foreign, he said, without giving their nationality.
The helicopter was delivering supplies to UNAMID locations in South Darfur state when a mechanical failure forced it to make an emergency landing on August 3, southeast of Nyala city, Cycmanick said.
“The crew members, a total of three, were detained by members of SLA-Minni Minawi,” he said, referring to one of Darfur’s main rebel groups.
“Since that time, communication has been maintained with all parties and negotiations have been underway for gaining the safe release of the crew as well as the recovery of the helicopter,” Cycmanick said.
Hussein Minnawi, a member of the Minnawi group’s political bureau, told AFP that an investigation was underway to determine if the chopper was owned by a private firm or the government.
“I think if it is a private (helicopter) then it will be released,” he said. “We are in conflict with the government, not private” firms.
The aircraft landed west of Ed Daein town, where separate attacks on Monday hit a Unamid police patrol on Monday in a region where the Arab Rizeigat and Ma’alia tribes have been fighting.
(The excerpt above is a summary of the reporting by AFP on the news)
Emergency landing
Earlier this month, Radio Dabanga reported that the Unamid helicopter had to make an emergency landing in South Darfur on Saturday, 3 August.
Minni Minawi then told Radio Dabanga that a technical fault forced the helicopter to set down in “a part of South Darfur controlled by the movement”.
He said the aircraft, with its crew of three, which include a Sudanese national and two Ukrainians, was operated by the Gulf Cooperation Committee (GCC) Helicopter Safety Team and “working with Unamid”.
The rebel leader added his movement was in contact with the company and the aircraft and crew would be “released immediately following the investigation”.
File photo by Albert Gonzalez Farran/Unamid
Related: Sudan President’s plane denied Saudi fly-over en route to Iran (4 August 2013)
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