Envoys from UN and African Union condemn fresh round of clashes in West Darfur

The senior United Nations envoy to Sudan and his African Union (AU) counterpart have issued a joint statement voicing deep concern at today’s violent clashes in the strife-torn Darfur region involving Sudanese Government forces, allied militias and rebel groups.

In their statement, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative Jan Pronk and the AU Commission Chairperson’s Special Representative Baba Gana Kingibe said they were especially worried about the fate of civilians in the Jebel Moon area of West Darfur, where the fighting is reported to be taking place.

Mr. Pronk and Mr. Kingibe warned that an attack on any party to the conflict in Darfur violates either the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA), which was signed in May, or an earlier accord known as the N’Djamena Ceasefire Agreement.

The statement noted that, according to reports received by the African Union’s mission in Sudan (AMIS), Sudanese Government forces and Janjaweed militias were involved in a combined operation against in Jebel Moon against a rebel group which has not signed the DPA.

Scores of thousands of people have been killed in Darfur and more than two million others have been displaced since 2003 because of fighting between Government forces, Janjaweed militias and rebels that has led to claims of civilian massacres, rapes and other atrocities.