UNAMID officers accused of beating up policeman

On New Year’s Eve, four officers from the United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) were reported in the Khartoum based Sudani newspaper for assaulting a Sudanese police officer. The newspaper said that the owner of a shop saw a UNAMID officer stealing some goods. He called the police who sent an officer. The policeman accused the UNAMID officer of stealing but then was allegedly assaulted by three UNAMID soldiers, whilst they were trying to release their colleague. UNAMID’s Deputy Director for Communications, Susan Manuel said that this information was not accurate. In an interview with Radio Dabanga, she confirmed that the Sudanese authorities had made a case against one UNAMID officer for stealing, but denied the other allegations of fighting. Manuel met the shop owner, who told her he had caught a person stealing and contacted the police. She confirmed the UNAMID officer had been held by Sudanese authorities but was released today. UNAMID’s military police are also dealing with the case.