United Nations Radio

The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, has issued arrest warrants for three rebel commanders in Darfur, for a deadly attack on African peacekeepers in Sudan's Darfur region in September last year.

The attackers claimed the lives of 12 African Union peacekeepers, wounded eight, plus pillaged some 17 vehicles and other valuables from the peacekeepers' camp.

Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo (photo) says "there are reasonable grounds to believe that these rebel commanders bear criminal responsibility for murder, intentionally directing attacks against personnel and objects involved in a peacekeeping mission and pillaging."

He says the individuals against whom the arrest warrants are sought were commanders of rebel groups in Darfur that carried out the attack", adding "as commanders, they planned and directed the attack."

Mr. Moreno-Ocampo stresses that he "will not let such attacks go unpunished."

The prosecutor however, would not divulge the names of the rebel leaders or of their militia groups.

This is Donn Bobb reporting for United Nations Radio.

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