UN Peacekeeping Nearing 100,000 Troops, Civilians

U.N. peacekeeping has surged to 93,000 troops, police and civilian personnel in 18 operations around the world, the most ever in the history of the world body, a U.N. official said on Wednesday.

But this figure, which includes nearly 70,000 military personnel, could jump to 140,000 within a year, Jean-Marie Guehenno, the undersecretary-general for peacekeeping, told a news conference.For example, the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon, now at 3,437, is authorized for up to 11,596 personnel and another 1,054 troops and 1,608 civilians are scheduled to go to Timor.

And if the Khartoum government ever gives its consent, the U.N. Security Council has authorized 17,300 troops, 5,300 police and 4,860 civilians to help stop atrocities in Sudan’s Darfur region. More