UN urges calm as tribal clashes kill more than 60 people in Darfur

January 4, 2020 Newsbeat, Sudan

Residents of an IDP camp gather around the burned remains of makeshift structures in Geneina, Sudan (Photo: AP)

January 4th, 2020 (SSNN)—The African Union-United Nations Hybrid Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), a joint peacekeeping mission in Sudan, has called on warring parties in West Darfur state to exercise maximum restraint as intercommunal violence has killed more than 60 people and wounded several others.

“UNAMID condemns the violence and stresses the importance of resolving all disputes in a peaceful and amicable manner and calls on all parties to restrain from the use of force, especially against civilian population, including women and children,” the statement said.

The peacekeeping mission called on the local authorities in Sudan to defuse the ongoing tension and devise peaceful methods to prevent the recurrence of violence in the state.

“The violent intercommunal clashes that have taken place” around El Geneina, and stressed “the importance of finding peaceful and durable solutions to the situation in Darfur that address the key drivers of conflict in that region. In that regard, he reaffirms his strong support to the ongoing negotiations in the framework of the Sudanese peace process”, said the statement.

The Secretary-General of the United Nations urged the Sudanese government to launch an independent investigation into the incidents and hold the ringleaders to account.

“The Secretary-General calls on the authorities swiftly to investigate these incidents and to hold the perpetrators accountable. He also urges them to redouble their efforts to provide a secure environment for the populations of Darfur, in particular the most vulnerable.”

“While the Mission acknowledges the efforts exerted by the Government to contain the situation, it further calls upon the relevant government authorities to maximize their efforts to establish a protective environment and restore peace and order in and around the greater El Geneina community,” the statement continued.

“It is a matter of priority to engender an environment which is conducive to the resumption of uninterrupted humanitarian operations, given the dire needs of the affected population for basic services.”