African Union condemns Darfur rebel attack on Sudanese army

August 30, 2007 (KHARTOUM) — The African Union Mission in the Sudan (AMIS) has learned with dismay of an incident in Wad Banda, Kodofan, Sudan, in which a Sudanese army base was attacked on Wednesday 29 August, 2007. Responsibility for the attack was claimed by the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and the Unity faction of the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA-Unity).

AMIS would like to register, in the strongest terms, its condemnation of this deliberate attack, and of all acts of violence in Sudan, especially at this time when the African Union, the United Nations and the entire international community have converged all efforts toward upcoming peace negotiations.

It is especially regrettable that this incident was perpetrated following the successful Arusha consultations of 3-5 August, 2007 and the recent consultations in Sudan by the AU-UN Special Envoys for Darfur, Dr. Salim Ahmed Salim and Mr. Jan Eliasson, whose efforts could be undermined by such acts of violence.

The African Union Mission in the Sudan calls on both Movements to refrain from further escalating and spreading violence, especially on this dawn of a new era in the international quest for peace, security and stability in Darfur, Sudan and the entire region.