South Sudan calls on UNISFA to protect civilians in Abyei

March 9, 2022 (JUBA) South Sudan has called on the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei to protect civilians from bloody attacks.

The call comes after a recent attack by Misseriya herders that resulted in the death of 27 people in the disputed border area on March 6.

Presidential affairs Barnaba Marial Benjamin told the Sudan Tribune on Wednesday that the President and the leadership of the revitalized transitional government are aware of recent developments in Abyei

The Abyei chief administrator spoke with the South Sudanese leadership including President Salva Kiir about the situation in Abyei.

He said the situation has now been under control thanks to the collaborative work between the government and the leadership of the United Nations force in the area.

“The security situation will be addressed through the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA). We have spoken to their leadership to ensure that peace prevails by providing adequate security to the lives and properties of the citizens.”

“UNISFA  has the mandate to provide not only security and protection of the lives and properties of the civilians but has a responsibility to provide the duty of care to civilians under extreme conditions,” he stressed.

In New York, the spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated that the UNITAMS is deeply concerned about the renewed violence in the southern part of the Abyei Area.

“The Mission is talking with local leaders and is urging the parties to exercise restraint. They have also stepped up its patrols of the areas most affected by the recent violence and has also provided shelter and protection to people fleeing the fighting,” reads the statement.

The Médecins Sans Frontières hospital in Agok was targeted, while there have also been three armed attacks on UN patrols.

In separate statements to the Sudan Tribune, Deng Alor Kuol, Minister of East Africa Affairs, and a son of Abyei said he was in contact with Sudanese officials and its embassy in Juba to ensure attacks on his native home area were stopped.

Kuol said the area has over the past months been witnessing hostile activities from Sudan and was working with all the stakeholders and partners to ensure the de-escalation of tensions.

The attacks come at the time people should now be preparing their farmlands as they wait for planting seasons, he said underlining that the insecurity in the region could cause severe food shortage and hunger in the near future.

“But as leaders of the area and in South Sudan, we are talking to those involved to stop these activities and let come to the table and dialogue if there are issues that we need to discuss”.

The U.S. embassies in Khartoum and Juba released a joint statement to condemn the recent attacks on Abyei.

The statement underscored that “UNISFA’s mandate authorizes peacekeepers to use all necessary means, which includes the use of force when required, in order to protect civilians under threat of physical violence”.

Also, the two embassies called on all sides to cease reprisals and return to dialogue.

“We call on the governments of Sudan and South Sudan to lend their political support to UNISFA to deescalate such attacks,” added the joint statement.

(ST)