The Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU), has extended the mandate of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID), for another year and urged the UN to do the same.The mandate of UNAMID was due to expire on July 31, 2012.The Council at its 328th meeting held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Tuesday, reviewed the situation in Darfur and the activities of UNAMID, and commended the force for its invaluable contribution towards the protection of civilians in the troubled area.While extending the force’s mandate, the AU stressed that achieving peace, security, justice and reconciliation in Darfur remains a priority for the AU, recognising that the people of Darfur have been suffering for far too long, a statement from the African Union Commission received by The New Times says.UNAMID, which has a Rwandan contingent serving under its mandate, is one of the largest and most difficult peace-keeping missions in the world. It was deployed at the beginning of 2008. Rwanda has more than 3,200 officers and men in Darfur.The force is tasked with protecting civilians, promoting an inclusive peace process and helping ensure the safe delivery of humanitarian assistance across Darfur, an arid region on Sudan’s western flank that has been the scene of fighting between Sudanese Government troops and their allied militias and rebels for over eight years. Rwanda’s Lt. Gen. Patrick Nyavumba is UNAMID’s Force Commander.The Council expressed serious concern at the continued refusal of the holdout groups to engage in the peace process, in spite of efforts made by the Joint AU/UN mediation. UNAMID is involved in the implementation of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD), signed in July 2011 with the support of the African Union and international community."Council expresses its determination to take appropriate sanctions against individuals and entities whose actions aims at undermining the DDPD process, and requests the UN Security Council to consider taking similar measures,”It acknowledged there was a reduction of hostilities between government forces and the armed movements, but expressed concern at the sporadic fighting in Darfur, the increase in incidents of banditry and other criminal activities, and attacks by unidentified armed individuals against UNAMID convoys.It also lamented the fact that close to 1.7 million Darfuris remain in IDP camps, while thousands others are refugees in neighbouring countries, particularly Chad.The Council, the statement said, also commends the review by UNAMID of its Protection of Civilians Strategy, aimed at enhancing the robustness of its protection mandate.It appealed to the international community to extend the requisite support to the search for lasting peace, security, justice, reconciliation and reconstruction in Darfur, including support to the implementation of the DDPD, "based on a proper understanding of the causes and consequences of the conflict in that region.”The council further paid tribute to the UNAMID leadership, as well as to the entire staff of the Mission, for their dedication and contribution to the promotion of lasting peace, security and reconciliation in Darfur.