North Darfur says peace group caused looting of former UNAMID camp
December 26, 2021 (KHARTOUM) – The North Darfur Security Committee accused a signatory group of breaking containers at the former UNAMID camp in El Fasher paving the way for the looting that took place last Friday.
On December 21, the UN liquidation team handed over the northern part of the UNAMID logistic base in El Fasher to the North Darfur Government in the presence of the UNITAMS Deputy Head Khardiata Lo N’Diaye.
The State Governor demanded all the armed movements to withdraw their forces from the area surrounding the site where their troops were stationed preparing to establish their troops and to transform it to be the headquarters for their forces.
However, none of the local commanders ordered his troops to leave the area.
“On Friday, December 24, at 05:30 pm, a group attacked the part (of the former UNAMID camp) that had been handed over to the state government, broke the containers, and looted the state government’s equipment,” said a statement released by the North Darfur Security Committee.
The statement did not name the group that looted the camp.
An eyewitness told the Sudan Tribune on Friday that the crowd flocked to the site after an armed group broke the containers and looted their contents.
The Committee added that other groups that are not part of the joint force tasked with the site protection opened fire to disperse the hundreds of looters killing one civilian.
On Saturday, the spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, Farhan Haq, condemned the looting and called on the Sudanese government to protect the liquidation team l in the southern part of the camp, which was once the headquarters of the UNAMID mission in Darfur.
The liquidation team has to complete its mission before the end of June 2022.
The Security Committee which is chaired by the State Governor decided to reinforce the protection of the UN mission personnel who reside and work in the former UNAMID camp.
Also, It decided to summon the field commanders of the peace groups based in El-Fasher to compel to tell them to end the uncontrolled activities of their combatants and withdraw them from the former UNAMID headquarters. It was also decided to notify their leaders.
Governor of Darfur Region Minni Minnawi who is also Leader of the Sudan Liberation Movement, which has forces stationed at the UNAMID site, quickly condemned the looting and said he had directed an investigation into the incident.
(ST)