UNAMID criticises “erroneous” accounts of South Darfur clashes

April 25, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The hybrid African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) reacted strongly to accusations by Khartoum of killing of civilians in South Darfur city Kass this week, insisting that its peacekeepers acted in self defence.

Six people were killed and five others were injured from the Zaghawa Um-Kmelty tribe on Thursday at the hands of UNAMID peacekeepers on the road between Kass and Shangita.

Tribal leaders in Kass insist that the armed group was going after stolen cattle when they encountered the patrol stressing that it was not their intention to attack the peacekeepers.

Angry armed tribesmen gathered near UNAMID camp in Kass seeking retaliation prompting the peacekeeping force to send reinforcements there. A UNAMID patrol was also attacked near its base in Kass on Friday.

South Darfur governor Adam Jar al-Nabi has accused UNAMID of killing defenceless citizens in Kass, saying some of them were killed inside the mission’s camp.

But the UNAMID acting chief Abiodun Bashua rubbished the governor’s claims stressing that his troops were only reacting to hostilities directed at them.

“In both incidents, UNAMID troops returned fire but did not initiate any shooting; they only acted to protect themselves,” he said in a statement issued on Saturday.

Bashua lamented the loss of life, but stressed that the peacekeepers’ response was “appropriate and proportional” noting they are in possession of evidence that the attackers, who were riding on horses and camels, were armed with AK-47 assault rifles with which they shot at the peacekeepers.

He expressed regret that an “erroneous version of the events” is being put out to misinform the public and the government.

“The mission’s leadership is continuing to engage with the Government of Sudan, the African Union and the United Nations to defuse the tension and restore normalcy in Kass,” he said.

Bashua has acknowledged the conflicting versions of the events in Kass, telling local UNAMID commander in South Darfur that a joint commission of inquiry needs to be formed.

He called for swift payment of blood money and damages so as to preserve the government’s credibility.

But the UNAMID commander said that no disbursement of funds can be made without thorough analysis of the claims and submitting it to the UN leadership in New York and awaiting a response.

He called on the governor to calm the people while they wait for New York to respond.

(ST)