(AFP) – Jul 15, 2008

UNITED NATIONS (AFP) — Britain late Tuesday circulated a statement in the UN Security Council that would slam as "an unacceptable act" last week's ambush killing of seven international peacekeepers in Sudan's Darfur region.

The statement, which British diplomats hope to see adopted by the 15-member council during consultations on the joint UN-African Union force in Darfur (UNAMID) Wednesday, "condemns in the strongest possible terms" the July 8 attack on a UNAMID convoy which left seven dead and 22 wounded in north Darfur.

"This unacceptable act of extreme violence is the largest attack on UNAMID since the transfer of authority from the African Union Mission in Sudan on 31 December 2007," says the non-binding statement which requires unanimous backing to be approved.

It would express particular concern that "the attack was premeditated, deliberate and intended to inflict casualties," and would welcome the ongoing UN probe of the attack as well as "the Government of Sudan's statement to assist the UN investigation."

It would warn that "attacks on UN peacekeepers during an armed conflict can constitute war crimes under applicable international law."

The statement would also urge Khartoum "to do its utmost to ensure that the perpetrators of the attack are swiftly identified and brought to justice," and would stress the council's "determination to take action against those responsible after hearing the outcome of UNAMID's investigation."

The statement was circulated after the outgoing head of UN peacekeeping operations, Jean-Marie Guehenno, Friday cast doubt on Khartoum's allegations that Darfur rebels were behind the ambush at Um Hakibah in North Darfur State.

Guehenno then told the Security Council that the attack on the UNAMID convoy was a "well-prepared" operation conducted in "a government-controlled area."

He added that the ambush was designed "to inflict casualties" and was carried out with "equipment not usually used by (rebel) militias,"

Last Thursday, Sudan accused Darfur rebels of orchestrating the ambush, although a day earlier UNAMID officials said that suspected government-backed Janjaweed militia were behind the attack.

UN officials have expressed fears that the decision by International Criminal Court chief prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo Monday to seek an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir for genocide and crimes against humanity in Darfur could complicate the peace process.

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