2006年VOA标准英语-Nigerian Troops Head to Sudan's Darfur Region t

（单词翻译）

By Gilbert da Costa
Abuja
04 September 2006 
 

Some 700 Nigerian soldiers are on their way to the troubled Sudanese region of Darfur, as part of the African Union peacekeeping force in that country.  The deployment¹ comes at a time of great uncertainty² over the future of the group.

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The deployment of a fresh batch³ of Nigerian troops in Darfur is going ahead, despite Sudan's order that the African Union force be withdrawn⁴ when its mandate⁵ ends later this month.

Nigerian soldiers form the bulk of the 7,000-strong African Union contingent⁶ in Sudan.

Nigeria army spokesman Colonel Ayo Olaniyan says the deployment is to fill in for a Nigerian detachment that has just completed a six-month duty tour.

"We are in the process of rotating troops in Sudan, and the actual story is, 680 soldiers of the Nigerian army, of 103 Battalion⁷, are traveling to Sudan to replace a field engineering regiment⁸, which is on its way back home after six months in that operation in Sudan," said Olaniyan. "The movement commenced last Friday, and will be spread over the next two weeks, or so."

Most African leaders have welcomed the United Nations resolution on the deployment of a larger and more robust⁹ military contingent in Darfur, to replace the under-equipped African peacekeepers.

Khartoum has rejected the U.N. deployment, and analysts¹⁰ say the removal of African troops could complicate¹¹ the humanitarian¹² crisis in the area.

The Sudan government is believed to be contemplating¹³ a military offensive in northern Darfur. Fighting has intensified¹⁴ in recent days.

The government and a rebel faction¹⁵ signed a peace agreement in Abuja last May. But fighting continued, with the African Union force unable to enforce a ceasefire that came into effect with the signing of the Abuja accord.

Fighting in the region, which is along Sudan's western border, has resulted in at least 200,000 deaths in three years and displaced more than two million people.