UN welcomes rebel unilateral ceasefire in Darfur’s Jebel Marra
October 2, 2018 (KHARTOUM) – The UN Resident Coordinator in Sudan, Gwi-Yeop Son, Tuesday welcomed the temporary unilateral cessation of hostilities by the Sudan Liberation Army – Abdul Wahid (SLA-AW) to allow humanitarian access to civilians in the rebel-controlled areas in eastern Jebel Marra area.
Heavy rains in Wadi Tuliba and Tagulei villages located in an SLA-AW controlled area killed 16 people died as a result of mudslides last September. Following this natural disaster, the SLM/A AW declared a three-month unilateral ceasefire to allow the delivery of emergency and medical assistance to the affected population.
“The United Nations welcomes the unilateral ceasefire by the SLA-AW that enabled the United Nations to provide emergency assistance to about 380 people,” said Ms. Son in a statement released on Tuesday.
The statement further said that UN provided relief assistance to 76 affected families (about 380 people), including tents and plastic sheets for shelter, kitchen sets, jerry cans, blankets and mosquito nets, and treated the injured and ill.
On 20 September, UNAMID said a joint team comprising UNAMID and UN Humanitarian Country Team including six doctors, reached the affected area. The first mission assessed the humanitarian situation and provided medical assistance and non-food items to the affected villagers.
While UNAMID reported that 19 people were killed by the mudslides, the UN Resident Humanitarian said 16 people died in the disaster.
The two affected villages are in a mountainous area where access and logistics are complicated by lack of roads and difficult terrain.
The SLM/A is not part of a unilateral cessation of hostilities by three armed groups in Darfur within the framework of peace talks with the government brokered by the African Union.
(ST)