The UN Secretary-General has condemned the deaths of three staff members who were engaged in humanitarian aid operations in Sudan. He assured that justice would be served for those who were martyred.
Kabkabiya: according to a statement by the Executive Director, Ms. Cindy McCain, of the World Food Programme (WFP), the staff were attacked during the conflicts between the Sudanese Army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the Darfur region. The attack occurred while the staff were engaged in duties related to the global hunger crisis.
Ms. Cindy McCain stated that operations in Sudan had been temporarily halted while the security situation was being assessed. She emphasized that WFP remained committed to assisting those facing food insecurity in Sudan, but the safety of their teams and partners had to be ensured. It was necessary for all parties to reach an agreement that would allow for the safe delivery of life-saving aid to those in need.
Rapid Justice without Interruptions; UN Secretary-General
The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, had urged swift justice for those responsible for the crisis in response to the ongoing clashes. In a statement attributed to him, Mr. Guterres had expressed grave concern about the situation and had reminded the warring parties of their obligation to respect international law, including the safety of UN personnel and assets. He had reiterated his call for an immediate end to the fighting and a return to dialogue, while continuing to engage with regional leaders and Sudanese stakeholders to find a resolution to the crisis.
Aid workers are neutral, should not be targeted
The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Sudan and Head of UNITAMS, Mr. Volker Perthes, had strongly condemned the attacks on Sunday, emphasizing that civilians and humanitarian aid workers should not be targeted. He had expressed concern over reports of projectiles hitting UN and other humanitarian premises, as well as looting in Darfur. Mr. Perthes had highlighted that such violence disrupts the delivery of life-saving assistance and had called for it to stop, as it adversely affects those in desperate need. He had also announced that he had successfully negotiated a brief pause in hostilities between the warring parties for humanitarian reasons, from four to seven PM local time.
Security Council condemned
The Security Council members had joined in the calls for an immediate halt to hostilities on Sunday, expressing their sorrow for the loss of lives and injuries. They had urged the parties to restore peace and engage in dialogue to resolve the crisis in Sudan. The Council had emphasized the need to maintain humanitarian access and ensure the safety of UN personnel while reaffirming their unwavering commitment to the unity, sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of Sudan.
Tensions had been on the rise between the two military forces since Wednesday in the Merowe region of northern Sudan following the RSF’s alleged movement of military vehicles to a location near a military air base, which the Army had deemed illegal.
Deep differences had emerged between the Sudanese Army and the RSF, particularly regarding the latter’s integration into the Army as stipulated in a framework agreement signed between military and civilian leaders on December 5, 2022.
