UN: Darfur violence displaces 12 000 in one week

Clashes between the Sudanese army and former rebels who signed a peace treaty with Khartoum have forced the displacement of more than 12 000 people in less than a week, United Nations (UN) officials said on Friday.

The soldiers clashed with fighters of the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) faction led by Minni Minnawi—the only rebel group to have signed a peace deal with Khartoum—on Friday in the South Darfur village of Khor Abeche.

“There are indications of combatant casualties being treated at UNAMID camp, but the number and classification of injured is yet to be established,” said Kemal Saiki, spokesman for the UN-African Union Mission In Darfur.

He said villagers had been gathered at the peacekeeping mission’s site under their protection.

Fighting in Khor Abeche on December 10-11 already led to the displacement of 12 000 people in the village and surrounding areas, said the UN humanitarian coordinator for Sudan, Georg Charpentier.

“I strongly condemn any violence against unarmed civilians and call on all parties to cease fighting,” he said in a statement.

Humanitarian officials said the people displaced over the past week had been moved to camps in Shangil Tobaya and Zam Zam, in the neighbouring state of North Darfur.

Relations between Minni’s SLA and the government have deteriorated to the point of armed confrontations between the two sides since last week.

Darfur has been gripped by a civil war since 2003 that has killed 300 000 people and displaced another 2.7 million, according to UN figures. Khartoum says 10,000 people have died in the conflict.—Sapa-AFP