African Union to deploy peacekeeping force in Sudan's Darfur region: AU

NAIROBI, Aug 4 (AFP) - The African Union plans to transform a small force it was due to send to Sudan's troubled Darfur region into a 2,000-strong peacekeeping mission, an AU official said on Wednesday.
The pan-African body was already planning to send some 300 troops to Darfur to protect its team of observers and monitors overseeing the implementation of a shaky ceasefire deal between government-backed militia and rebel groups.

The United Nations estimates 50,000 people have died in the Darfur conflict involving government forces and their Janjaweed allies against two rebel movements, the Sudan Liberation Movement and the Justice and Equality Movement.