The United Nations African Union hybrid peacekeeping operation for Darfur (UNAMID) has begun operations at its El Fasher Headquarters in what the senior UN official there called a milestone for the strife-torn Sudanese region. “It is a great day for the United Nations and the African Union, the day of UNAMID's launch, which was only an idea three months ago but now it is a profound reality,” said Rodolphe Adada, the UN-AU Joint Special Representative for Darfur.