UN concerns over renewed Darfur clashes

The acting head of the joint UN-African Union peacekeeping mission in the Sudanese region of Darfur expressed “serious concern” on Wednesday, over fresh fighting in the Jebel Marra area. Aichatou Mindaoudou, Special Representative for the cooperative mission in Sudan [known by the acronym UNAMID], voiced concerns in a meeting with the Governor of Central Darfur state, Yousif Tibin, during a visit to the state’s capital, Zalingei. According to an UNAMID press release, Governor Tibin informed Mindaoudou that armed groups had taken control of the towns of Golo and Rockero in the mountainous western Jebel Marra area, located in the central Darfur region. Approximately 850 families had reportedly been displaced as a result of the fighting. Others are believed to be seeking refuge in nearby mountain regions. Special Representative Mindaoudou condemned the conflict which, she said, “endangers the safety of the civilian population in the area,” assuring the Governor of UNAMID’s “continued commitment” to facilitating humanitarian assistance to the region.  “Ms Mindaoudou also stressed that all parties involved in the conflict should respect their obligations under international human rights and humanitarian law,” the mission release added. Speaking exclusively to Arabstoday, Sudan Liberation Movement [SLM] leader Dr Othman Ibrahim Moussa, who signed a historic peace agreement with the Sudanese government in January 2011, accused rebel leader Abdel Wahid al Nur for the attacks, which allegedly aim to foster insecurity and instability in the region.