UNISFA condemns murder of Misseriya traders in Abyei

January 10, 2022 (ABYEI) – The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Abyei (UNISFA) has condemned the abduction and murder of two Misserita traders in the outskirts of the contested region, vowing to support investigation of the murder in order to establish the facts of the incident.

 “On 6 January, a joint UNISFA-Abyei Community Protection Committee (CPC) search team found the bodies of two Misseriya traders near Banton in the outskirts of Abyei where they were abandoned after being murdered by unknown persons. The victims have been missing since arriving in Abyei town from Amiet market on 30 December,” reads a UNISFA statement.

In the January 8 release, the Acting Head of Mission and Force Commander Brigadier General Aby Syed Mohammod Bakir and the entire mission expressed heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and to the Sudanese government.

He further appealed for calm and called on all to “avoid unverified social media reporting or manipulation at this stage”.

“UNISFA is fully committed to the safety and security of civilians in the Abyei area and calls on all stakeholders to cooperate to ensure implementation of the mission’s protection of civilian mandate and its mandate in general,” concluded the statement extended to Sudan Tribune.

Last week, 13 people were killed and five others wounded in an attack in Abyei, an oil-rich area contested by South Sudan and neighbouring Sudan.

The attack, UNISFA said, was carried out by a combined armed group of Nuer and Twic Dinka on the Rumamer village, 15 kilometres south of Abyei.

At least 27 houses in the village were also burnt down during the attack.

UNISFA was established UN Security Council in 2011 to monitor Abyei border.

(ST)