The African Union-United Nations Hybrid Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) on Friday urged the Sudanese transitional government to put greater efforts to contain the conflicts and restore peace in the country after 65 people were killed and 54 were injured in communal clashes that erupted in West Darfur state on Sunday.
The armed clashes continued until Monday between Arab and African tribes during which several houses were torched.
In a statement, the UNAMID condemned the violence and called for resolving all disputes in a peaceful and amicable manner. It urged all parties to restrain from the use of force, especially against the civilian population, including women and children.
“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 read.
It also noted the mission evacuated its personnel and NGO staff from the affected area to ensure their safety.
“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,” the statement read.
United Nations chief António Guterres also condemned the violent intercommunal clashes in El Geneina and stressed the importance of finding peaceful and durable solutions to the situation in Darfur. Guterres urged the authorities to investigate the incidents and hold all the perpetrators accountable. He appealed them to redouble their efforts to provide a secure environment for the populations of Darfur.
On Thursday, a Sudanese military plane crash killed at least 18 people. The plane carrying senior army officials and victims of the clashes crashed shortly after taking off from El Geneina Airport.
