Specifically, the text authorises up to 19,555 military personnel and 6,432 civilian police.
TROOPS MOSTLY FROM AFRICA
The resolution calls on member states to finalise their contributions to the new force, called UNAMID or the United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur, within 30 days. UNAMID would incorporate the under-equipped and under-financed 7,000 African Union troops now in Darfur.
Rape, looting, murder and government bombardment drove millions from their homes in Darfur, where mostly non-Arab rebels took up arms in early 2003, accusing Khartoum of neglecting their arid region. The rebels have now split into a dozen groups, many fighting each other.
Sudan, after months of hesitation, has agreed to the troop numbers, but UN officials expect it will take a year to get the force in place. Khartoum also has to agree to allow units from individual countries into Sudan.
Infantry soldiers will be drawn mainly from African nations unless not enough Africans can be recruited. Personnel from elsewhere in the world are expected to be used for specialised engineering and in command headquarters. The United States is restricting its contribution to transporting troops to Darfur and helping to pay for the operation.
The new headquarters should be running by October 31, and UN members were urged to cover costs as soon as possible for the under-financed African Union troops.
The timetable is then staggered so the combined force will be in charge of all operations by December 31.
The resolution asks Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to report to the council every 30 days on implementation of the resolution and progress on a political settlement. The United Nations and the AU are attempting to organize a peace conference among a myriad of rebel groups and the government.
