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Security situation calm in Darfur, UN-African Union blue helmets report

Security situation calm in Darfur, UN-African Union blue helmets report

Additional Egyptian peacekeepers arriving at El-Fasher airport, Northern Darfur
The United Nations-Africa Union (AU) hybrid peacekeeping operation in Darfur known as UNAMID today reported that the security situation in war-ravaged Sudanese region is calm.

The United Nations-Africa Union (AU) hybrid peacekeeping operation in Darfur known as UNAMID today reported that the security situation in war-ravaged Sudanese region is calm.

Forces with the mission are operating as normal, conducting patrols and closely monitoring the state of affairs throughout the area.

The pre-trial chamber of the International Criminal Court (ICC) will announce tomorrow whether it will issue an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir on charges of war crimes.

Alain Le Roy, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, said yesterday that regardless of what the ICC decides, UNAMID will continue to protect the local Darfurian population.

“The Government would assume its full duty of protecting UN missions in Sudan against any negative impact that may result from ICC possible decision against the Sudanese political leadership,” he told reporters in New York yesterday.

UNAMID was set up by the Security Council to protect civilians in Darfur, where an estimated 300,000 people have been killed and another 2.7 million have been forced from their homes since fighting erupted in 2003, pitting rebels against Government forces and allied Janjaweed militiamen.

One year from the transfer of responsibility to UNAMID from the AU Mission in Sudan (AMIS), over 60 per cent of the 19,555 military personnel authorized by the Security Council are now in place.

Meanwhile, regarding a shooting incident in a market in El Fasher where one person was killed and six others injured, UNAMID received information that armed militiamen were attempting to loot shops, allegedly due to their anger over not having received salaries.