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Sudan restricts movement of aid workers in Darfur, UN reports

Sudan restricts movement of aid workers in Darfur, UN reports

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Sudanese authorities have announced that they are immediately restricting the movement of humanitarian workers operating in the south of the war-torn Darfur region because of ongoing military operations and security threats, the United Nations reported today.

The joint UN-African Union peacekeeping operation in Darfur (UNAMID) said the Sudanese Government’s Humanitarian Aid Commission informed the mission, other UN agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that all movement beyond a 15-kilometre radius of the South Darfur capital, Nyala, was prohibited.

The announcement comes two days after Sudanese armed forces launched air strikes against the South Darfur town of Labado and the village of Esheraya.

UNAMID had planned to send a verification team to Labado and Esheraya to assess the impact on the ground, but Government forces did not allow access today, citing security concerns because of armed rebel movements operating in the area.

Aid workers also face restrictions at the Kalma camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs), home to tens of thousands of people, even though it is located close to Nyala.

But the Otash camp for IDPs is not affected by the new restrictions, UNAMID reported.

The restrictions and air strikes have occurred just weeks after the Security Council heard that efforts to resolve the Darfur conflict – which has raged since 2003 – had entered a crucial phase and that parties to the dispute were considering texts of key elements that could form a comprehensive peace pact.

Meanwhile, the Security Council today agreed to extend the mandate of the panel of experts tasked with monitoring the sanctions imposed against those obstructing the peace process in Darfur.

In a unanimous vote the Council’s 15 members agreed to extend the mandate through 19 February 2012.

Established in March 2005, the panel is tasked with monitoring an arms embargo, travel ban and assets freeze, and inform the Council’s sanctions committee about individuals who impede the peace process, violate international law or are responsible for offensive military overflights.