♦ This week’s news in brief ♦

A compact weekly digest of Dabanga Sudan's highlights of the news from Darfur and Sudan

♦ 'Little progress in Darfur, extent Unamid mandate': UN chief Ladsous

June 14 – 2016 NEW YORK Unamid continues to face many obstacles in Sudan as the conflict in Darfur remains unchanged, the United Nations peacekeeping chief briefed the UN Security Council in New York today. Therefore the mission's mandate should be extended before July.

Presenting a special report by the UN Secretary-General and the African Union Commission on the UN-African Union Mission in Darfur (Unamid), Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Hervé Ladsous briefed the Security Council in its 7716th meeting about the situation in Sudan and the progress of Unamid.

Ladsous said that the nature of the conflict in Darfur remains unchanged and little progress is made in finding viable political solutions. While direct clashes between government and armed forces have subsided, fighting with the rebel Sudan Liberation Movement led by Abdelwahid El Nur (SLM-AW) has continued in Darfur. 2.6 million people remain displaced across Darfur. The current security conditions in Darfur are not conducive to a large-scale return of displaced people to their places of origin, Ladsous said.

As for the progress of Unamid, a joint assessment of the mission concluded that the strategic priorities of Unamid remain valid, Ladsous informed the Council. However, the mission “continues to face many obstacles”: access denials to areas including Jebel Marra, where heavy fighting has taken place since the beginning of 2016; visa delays; and no customs clearance by Sudanese authorities for shipments to Unamid.

According to the joint UN-AU report on 8 June, these delays have “severely impeded the ability of the Mission to protect civilians and themselves, communicate and conduct robust patrols,” with Unamid peacekeepers experiencing shortages in ammunition and other equipment.

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♦ Blue Nile refugees flee fighting to South Sudan camps

June 12 – 2016 UPPER NILE Refugees from Sudan's Blue Nile who fled from the fighting in Kilgo have started to arrive in Kaya, a camp in South Sudan, with more expected to arrive. More than 20 families from the war-affected Sudanese state now reside in Kaya in Upper Nile state. Witnesses told Radio Dabanga that they have escaped from the fighting between government forces and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North at Kilgo in the past weeks. The control of Kilgo, south of Ed Damazin, has been disputed by the Governor of Blue Nile and the rebel SPLM-N.

The refugees who arrived in Kaya are mostly women and children, and arrived on foot after five days of walking. Witnesses explained that the new refugees are in bad health because they ate little food during the course of their escape. The refugees said that more Blue Nile residents are on their way to Kaya.

Refugees from Blue Nile in Yusuf Batil camp in Upper Nile reportedly suffer from the worsening humanitarian and health conditions, “that has made a large majority ill”, according to a camp coordinator. He claimed that many of the refugees, most of whom have fled the fighting and air raids in Kilgo, suffer from coughs, the flu, and malaria.
The coordinator said that there has been a shortage of tents, mosquito nets, and blankets, since the rainy season started in March, which led to the worsening of health conditions.

According to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), Kaya camp holds more than 24,000 refugees as of 31 May. Approximately 40,000 refugees, mainly from Blue Nile, have taken shelter in Yusuf Batil, which is 51 kilometres away from the border with Sudan.

More news from Radio Dabanga:

Darfur Regional Authority to dissolve, Peace Committee stays

June 14 – 2016 KHARTOUM The Sudanese government announced officially dissolving the Darfur Regional Authority (DRA) and the Darfur Peace Follow-up Office on Monday. The Higher Committee for Peace in Darfur, however, will be maintained. The committee has decided to establish a general…

Large control of stolen vehicles in South Darfur

June 14 – 2016 NYALA In the South Darfur capital Nyala, roads are being checked by military and customs personnel for hijacked and smuggled vehicles, which the government seeks to register and regulate. A joint force began a campaign to inventory vehicles that have been smuggled from Central…

Director's house raided, trainers remain detained in Sudan

June 13 – 2016 OMDURMAN The National Intelligence and Security Service stormed the family houses of the director of a political organisation in Omdurman on Sunday morning, and detained two of his brothers. Meanwhile, members of a training centre have been detained for nearly three weeks… 

Attacks on South Darfur market 'wound five'

June 13 – 2016 NYALA People were wounded in a market in Nyala on Friday and Saturday evening, reportedly in an attack carried out by policemen. Gunmen robbed a pharmacy in the city on Saturday evening. A witness reported that members of the police attacked the market in El Jebel…

Hail of gunfire as farmer gang-raped in North Darfur

June 12 – 2016 TAWILA A 16-year-old girl has been raped while tilling her fields in North Darfur. Her attackers drove-off other farmers with gunfire. Omda Mukhtar Bosh told Radio Dabanga that on Friday at least three militiamen riding camels attacked the girl in the Um Arda area, 15…

Air raids in Jebel Marra, Darfur claim six lives

June 10 – 2016 NIERTETI Aerial bombardments during the past week struck areas of western Jebel Marra and killed six villagers in total. Dozens of homes were burnt and a number of livestock was killed. An activist in the area reported that the Sudanese Air Force has launched a series of air raids…

"200 detained" in security campaign in Blue Nile

June 10 – 2016 ED DAMAZIN For two consecutive weeks, the security service has carried out a large campaign of detentions in Blue Nile's capital, where people have protested the presence of paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. They accuse them of committing atrocities against the civilians…

Sudanese in Libya detained 'under harsh conditions'

June 10 – 2016 TRIPOLI Sudanese in detention centres in Libya suffer from a worsening humanitarian situation, according to the community in Tripoli. Those who reside in Libya suffer from an increased number of attacks by militant Libyan groups. An official of the voluntary return of Sudanese…

This digest is an excerpt from the weekly Darfur & Sudan News Update. Subscribe to the newsletter here