Darfur: fighting continues for second day near headquarters of UN mission

Aerial bombing and artillery fire continued for a second day on the outskirts of the city of El Fasher, North Darfur, where the United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) has its headquarters, the mission reported today.

The Sudanese Government assaults resumed this morning approximately 9 kilometres from the city, in an attempt to clear the area of armed movements who had advanced towards the outskirts of the city yesterday, UNAMID said.

There have been no reports of civilian deaths or casualties and El Fasher airport has re-opened but the situation is tense and movement of personnel remains restricted, it added.

Yesterday, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon strongly condemned the renewed hostilities between rebels and Sudanese Armed Forces and said continued military actions threaten civilian lives and jeopardize political efforts to reach a durable peace.

Those clashes followed fighting earlier this month involving the Sudanese Armed Forces, the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and Sudan Liberation Army/ Minni Minawi (SLA/MM).

The mission also reported that fighting between the Government and the JEM continued today in Muhajeriya, South Darfur, resulting in approximately 3,000 people gathering around the UNAMID camp there, seeking shelter and protection.

Three civilians were reportedly injured and are currently receiving treatment at the Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) hospital.

Fighting in Darfur erupted in 2003, pitting rebels against Government forces and allied Janjaweed militiamen and causing an estimated 300,000 deaths, while forcing some 2.7 million people to flee their homes.