Pakistan deploys unit for Darfur operation

KHARTOUM, Sudan, Dec. 23 (UPI) -- The Pakistani government has deployed a unit of troops to the volatile Darfur region of Sudan to support peacekeeping operations.

The U.N. joint peacekeeping operation in Darfur with the African Union has called on the international community for additional troop commitments to counter the escalating threat of rebel groups. Pakistan, which already has a contingent of approximately 75 troops currently deployed to Darfur, has sent a unit of 85 to support the U.N.-AU mission, the United Nations reported.

Pakistani defense officials are also sending an additional 176 members of the Pakistani Engineering Co. expected to arrive in Darfur before Monday. The Pakistani troops will support the construction of refugee and internally displaced person camps among other infrastructure.

The United Nations estimates that "300,000 people have been killed and another 2.7 million have been displaced from their homes in Darfur since rebels began fighting government forces and allied militiamen in 2003," the release said.