UNAMID alarmed by security of civilians as attacks continue in North Darfur

September 24, 2009 (PARIS) — Darfur peacekeeping mission today said concerned by civilian causalities and urged to end the fighting in North Darfur state where government troops carry out delay attacks on the position of the rebel Sudan Liberation Movement led by Abdel-Wahid Al-Nur.

The positions of the rebel SLM-AW in the mountainous areas of Korma and Ain Siro are regularly attacked by the government army and militias. Last Thursday and Friday, the attackers killed 18 civilians, according to IDPs spokesperson.

Sudanese army on Monday said it had crashed the rebel positions in Korma. The Army described the SLM led by Abdel Wahid Al-Nur as “looting gangs intimidating people and attacking commercial convoys as well as forcing the displaced persons remain in camps.”

The spokesperson of the rebel group, Abdel-Rahman Nimir today told Sudan Tribune that the army and its militias continue their attacks on daily basis adding the government tries to extend the deployment of its troops in the area.

The hybrids peacekeeping mission “continues to urge for an end to the clashes between the Government of Sudan and rebel movements in Korma, North Darfur,” said UNAMID today in its daily briefing.

“UNAMID mandate is to protect civilians and ensure delivery of humanitarian assistance to the needy,” said Noureddine Mezni in a statement he made today.

The mission has been ready to go the area of the fighting since Friday “but we were waiting for the approval of the government and the rebels” said Mezni. He further added they are concerned by the impact of the fighting on civilians and the humanitarian situation.

The official spokesperson of the peacekeeping operation renewed calls by the UN chief Ban Ki-Moon on all parties to cease hostilities and ensure safety of the civilians in the Darfur region, reiterating that a lasting solution to the Darfur conflict would only be reached by peaceful negotiations.

SLM’s Nimir said the government militias killed three civilians on Thursday adding, the militias target systematically over 80 villages in the area. He asserted that some 40 women had been raped by the militiamen who stolen some 4000 livestock.

He also said they are welling to receive the UNAMID assessment team, “We have no objection as it is about the civilians,” Nimir added.

Describing the security situation in the area, a villager from the area reached by telephone confirmed rebel statements adding they evacuate their homes every day at dawn and climb in the mountains to avoid the government supported armed men.

“Now we, as well as the inhabitants of other villages, move away from homes to the mountains very early in the morning and we return late in the night to cock something for the children if our home are intact,” said the civilian who asked not to identify him.

He further said they are in terrible need of humanitarian assistance.

“The responsibility of UNAMID to protect civilians under threat of attack and to ensure effective access for humanitarian assistance to those in need overarches any premise for this recent outburst of fighting in Darfur,” said the peacekeeping mission.

UN officials say the relative calm in Darfur called by the former UNAMID chief, Rodolphe Adada “low intensity conflict” should encourage efforts to hold peace talks for a negotiated solution to the six year conflict. However they warn that Darfur conflict is not ended and it can easily into a ‘high intensity conflict’ one.

The SLM-AW which is believed to have poplar support among the IDPs and refugees in Chad refuses to participate in the current peace process in Doha asking the Sudanese government to disarm its militias and to organize the return if the IDPs to their homeland before to engage negotiations.

(ST)