Sudan urges UNAMID to condemn recent rebel attacks in Drafur
May 25, 2017 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan has called on the hybrid peacekeeping mission to condemn the recent rebel attacks in North and East Darfur pointing that they breached a cessation of hostilities and destabilise regional peace and security.
In a meeting held at his office in Khartoum, Foreign Ministry Under-Secretary Abdel-Ghani al-Nai’m briefed the Deputy Joint Special Representative Bintou Keita, and the UNAMID Force Commander Lt Gen Frank Mushyo Kamanzi about the recent clashes with rebels in North and East Darfur from 19 to 22 May.
In a statement released on Thursday evening, the foreign ministry said al-Nai’m called on the UNAMID “to condemn the recent attacks in the strongest terms, to hold accountable those who carried it out and to exert strong pressure on all rebel the movements to accept the cease-fire and negotiate seriously”.
The Sudanese official further said the international community should condemn all those who support and provide a safe haven for the armed groups, pointing that the recent cross-borders attack have been carried out after getting a huge support without naming any country.
Sudan has accused Egypt and the powerful Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar of providing armoured vehicles and weapons to the Sudan Liberation Movement Transitional Council (SLM-TC) and the SLM-Minni Minnawi forces that entered from North Darfur.
Also, South Sudan was accused of harbouring and supporting the second force that attacked East Darfur from its territory.
Egypt has denied vigorously its involvement in the attack but Sudan persists in its accusations pointing to the Egyptian armoured vehicles, adding that the two groups were fighting alongside Haftar who is supported by Cairo.
The Chadian President Idris Deby travelled to Khartoum following the attack and discussed the security situation in Darfur with President Omer al-Bashir. Ndjamena fears that the return of armed groups in the western Sudan region may have a negative impact on its eastern region.
In a statement released on 22 May, the UNAMID expressed concern about the surge of violence in the region pointing that “significant progress has been made on the road towards peace and security in Darfur, and it would be a serious setback to see these gains jeopardised”.
“UNAMID calls on all parties involved in this latest round of fighting to show restraint and use the peace process to resolve all outstanding issues. This is the only course of action that can satisfy the interests of the people of Darfur,” said a statement released by NAMID’s Joint Special Representative, Jeremiah Mamabolo.
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) will discuss the situation in Darfur next June when it extends the UNAMID mandate for an additional year.
The government, African Union and United Nations have agreed to reduce the forces deployed in a number of area in Darfur.
In separate statements, al-Nai’m said it was agreed that the total withdrawal will be gradual in two years and will start by the UNAMID’s Police and Civilian components.
According to the UN figures the hybrid mission is composed of 13,783 military personnel, 1,417 police advisers, 1,808 formed police unit officers, 753 international civilian staff, 119 United Nations Volunteers, and 2,148 national civilian staff.
(ST)