Sudan rebels „use Chad's camps“ (07.07.2009)

(Quelle: BBC / UK)

A BBC reporter in Chad has seen armed Sudanese rebels openly driving through Oure Cassoni camp for Darfur refugees. The Justice and Equality Movement (Jem) fighters were armed with rocket-propelled grenades and AK-47s. A Jem spokesman told the BBC his group had permission from the authorities to enter the camp near Sudan's border for supplies and to get vehicles fixed.

Sudan rebels, opposition party form political alliance (03.07.2009)

(Quelle: Reliefweb / International)

Darfur's most active rebel group has joined a leading Sudanese opposition movement in calling for democracy in the country and a transitional government until next year's presidential election. The Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) signed an accord with the opposition Umma party of former prime minister Sadeq al-Mahdi on Wednesday.

Ethiopian peacekeepers reach Darfur by road (01.07.2009)

(Quelle: Sudan Tribune / France)

An advance party of the second Ethiopian battalion has arrived in the AU-UN Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) by road, covering a distance of more than 1,800 kilometres. This is the first time ever that a troop contributing country sends its troops by road. The Ethiopians troops carried transportation and equipment, including 76 transport vehicles, 20 support vehicles, as well as 39 drivers and logistics specialists.

Darfur rebels say eight civilians were killed by Sudanese warplanes (30.06.2009)

(Quelle: Sudan Tribune / France)

Some eight civilian were killed by Sudanese warplanes in raid carried in North Darfur states during the week end, a rebel leader said yesterday. Abdel Wahid Al-Nur, the founding leader of Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) said the bombing targeted Hashaba located at 70km west of the North Darfur state capital, El-Fasher at the midday on Sunday.

Gunmen injure peacekeeper in Darfur attack (30.06.2009)

(Quelle: Reliefweb / International)

Gunmen have opened fire on joint U.N./African Union peacekeepers in Sudan's Darfur region, wounding one in the leg, the force said on Tuesday. The Nigerian police unit was attacked in Ardamata, close to the men's camp in the west Darfur capital of El Geneina, on Monday afternoon, the UNAMID force said in a statement.

Darfur’s rebel movements ready to resume peace talks, UN-AU official says (30.06.2009)

(Quelle: UN News / International)

A number of armed rebel movements in Darfur say they are ready to resume peace talks with the Sudanese Government, the African Union-United Nations official tasked with promoting dialogue between the two sides says. Djibril Yipènè Bassolé, the Joint AU-UN Chief Mediator, met yesterday with the leaders of some of the movements in Tripoli, Libya, to discuss the so-called Doha process of negotiations and define how the rebels can effectively participate in a resolution to the Darfur crisis.

Officials from UN-African Union mission visit returnees in North Darfur (29.06.2009)

(Quelle: UN News / International)

Officials from the joint United Nations-African Union mission have visited areas of North Darfur to verify reports of the spontaneous return of refugees and displaced persons to their villages, and to assess their living conditions. Residents in the village of Masri told the team, led by Head-of-Office Miguel Martin, that some 2,300 families have effectively returned to the area, according to the mission, known as UNAMID.

US envoy to meet Darfur's rebels (29.06.2009)

(Quelle: BBC / UK)

The US envoy for Sudan, Scott Gration, is due to meet Darfur rebel leaders in neighbouring Chad in a bid to revive the stalled peace process. Mr Gration is hoping to talk to officials from two rebel groups - the SLA and Jem - as well as Chad's President Idriss Deby.

Former rebels say opposed to increase Darfur states (25.06.2009)

(Quelle: Sudan Tribune / France)

Darfur former rebel Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) of Minni Minnawi refused any move to increase the number of the three Darfur states saying such move breaches the signed peace agreement. Sudanese Presidency announced that Omer Al-Bashir would receive on Wednesday a report on the increasing of the number of Darfur states by a committee he had formed last January.

Joint UN-African Union mission reports calm although banditry persists (24.06.2009)

(Quelle: UN News / International)

The joint United Nations-African Union peacekeeping mission in Darfur (UNAMID) today reported that the security situation in the war-torn western Sudanese region was calm although banditry remains a problem.

Hearings to identify causes of conflict kick off in Darfur, reports UN-AU mission (22.06.2009)

(Quelle: UN News / International)

Public hearings got underway across Darfur over the weekend to examine the root causes of the conflict in the war-torn western region of Sudan, the joint United Nations-African Union peacekeeping operation in the region, known as UNAMID, announced today. The high-level AU Panel on Darfur (AUPD) kicked off the hearings on 20 June in El Fasher, capital of North Darfur, before moving to the South Darfur capital of Nyala on Sunday, listening to Darfurians and other stakeholders in a bid to determine a route to an effective peace process.

US State Department still characterizes Darfur situation as genocide (19.06.2009)

(Quelle: Sudan Tribune / France)

The Assistant Secretary of the US State Department today said "We continue to characterize the circumstances in Darfur as genocide," contradicting remarks made the previous day the US Special Envoy to Sudan, who had said that Darfur is experiencing only "remnants of genocide." President Obama’s chosen envoy to the Sudan, Scott Gration said Wednesday, "What we see is the remnants of genocide. What we see are the consequences of genocide, the results of genocide."

Darfur peace talks suspended, to resume next month – UN (19.06.2009)

(Quelle: UN News / International)

The current round of ceasefire talks between the Government of Sudan and a Darfur rebel group have been suspended, a United Nations spokesperson told reporters in New York today. Michele Montas said that ongoing negotiations with the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), held in the Qatari capital of Doha, are expected to start up again at the end of July.

UN rights official says Darfur civilians assaulted by Sudan (17.06.2009)

(Quelle: Sudan Tribune / France)

The Sudanese government forces continue to target civilians in the war torn region of Darfur, a UN rights officials said today. The UN special Rapporteur on human rights in the Sudan Sima Samar said in a report that fighting in Darfur took a heavy toll on civilians in terms of casualties, displacement and destruction of property.

More quick impact projects on the way, UNAMID deputy head says (17.06.2009)

(Quelle: allAfrica / International)

The deputy head of the joint African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) said today that the Mission hopes to implement more "quick impact projects" (QIPs) across the region to help local communities rehabilitate schools, improve hospitals and strengthen vital infrastructure.

Darfur returnees can count on UN, African Union support to rebuild, says official (16.06.2009)

(Quelle: BBC / UK)

The joint African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) will do all it can to help civilians who have started returning voluntarily to their villages in the strife-torn Sudanese region to rebuild their livelihoods, a senior official pledged today. Deputy Joint Special Representative Henry Anyidoho said it was critical to provide returnees with the necessary support so that their returns are not temporary, as he addressed community leaders in the West Darfur village of Seraf Jidad, where over 2,000 families have returned in the past two months.

Arrest of Sudanese fugitives priority for ICC, Prosecutor tells Security Council (05.06.2009)

(Quelle: UN News / International)

The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) said today that his priorities over the next few months include continued monitoring of crimes in Sudan’s war-torn Darfur region and the arrest of fugitives, including the country’s leader, President Omar Al-Bashir. … The Prosecutor stressed that the Sudanese authorities also have the duty to arrest government minister Ahmed Harun and Janjaweed leader Ali Kushyab, both of whom have also been indicted by the Court.

Rebels say Darfur talks’ success depends on government (05.06.2009)

(Quelle: Sudan Tribune / France)

The Justice and Equality Movement repeated today its rejection to negotiate any new deal with the Sudanese government as long as Khartoum does not implement an agreement providing to improve humanitarian conditions in Darfur and the exchange of prisoners. … "The decision is in the hands of the government, if they allow the return of the expelled aid groups and release the prisoners of war as it was agreed in the goodwill agreement of last February then we would engage negotiations on the other issues" JEM spokesperson Ahmed Hussein Adam told Sudan Tribune from Doha.

First batch of Zambian troops join Darfur peacekeeping mission (03.06.2009)

(Quelle: Sudan Tribune / France)

More than 140 Zambian police officers have arrived in Sudan’s war-torn Darfur as first batch of troops to join the African Union-UN peacekeeping mission there. Thirty-four male officers and three female officers arrived today in El Fasher and will begin induction training before they are deployed across the region, the UNAMID said today.

China pledges to end Sudan–Chad conflict (02.06.2009)

(Quelle: Sudan Tribune / France)

China today has renewed its support to Sudanese government to achieve peace in Darfur saying it would work to ease the current conflict between Sudan and Chad. The Chinese special envoy to Sudan Liu Guijin told reporters on Monday that he would travel to Addis Ababa and Ndjamena to hold talks over peace process in Darfur region and Sudan Chad relations.

Mediators asks URF chief to unify rebel positions to join Darfur talks (01.06.2009)

(Quelle: Sudan Tribune / France)

Darfur peace mediators met today with a Darfur rebel chief asking him to play a bigger role to unify the positions of Darfur rebel groups that the mediation intends to include in Doha process. The Qatari state minister for foreign affairs Ahmed bin Abdullah Al-Mahmoud asked the rebel chief for a bigger role in the creation of mechanisms for a unified structure and a common vision with the other rebel groups, especially those who are based in Libya and Abdel-Wahid Al-Nur, the SLM leader who is based in France, said the rebel United Resistance Front (URF) on Sunday.

South African general appointed as deputy commander of Darfur peace mission (31.05.2009)

(Quelle: Sudan Tribune / France)

Darfur peacekeeping hybrid force announced yesterday the arrival of a new deputy force commander replacing a controversial Rwandan general. The new UNAMID deputy force commander, Maj. Gen. Mbutyana Duma Dumisani of South Africa, arrived on Friday to the capital of North Darfur state, El Fasher, where are the headquarters of the peacekeeping mission, said a news briefing released yesterday.

Darfur rebels release 60 government troops (29.05.2009)

(Quelle: Sudan Tribune / France)

The rebel Justice and Equality Movement announced today form Doha where it holds talks with a government delegation the release of 60 prisoners of war from the Sudanese army.

"We decided unilaterally to release 60 Sudanese army troops," Ahmed Hussein Adam the official spokesperson of the rebel group told Sudan Tribune; adding they are finalizing the necessary procedures with the Red Cross.

Sudan to replace Darfur top negotiator (28.05.2009)

(Quelle: Sudan Tribune / France)

Sudanese government is considering to appoint Presidential Adviser Gazi Salah Eddin Attabani as new top negotiator for Darfur peace talks. The current official in charge with Darfur peace negotiations Presidential Assistant Nafi Ali Nafi who is also Deputy Chairman for the political affairs at the National Congress Party (NCP) asked the party to entrust Attabani with Darfur peace file.

Mediation seeks strong international support to end Darfur conflict (28.05.2009)

(Quelle: Sudan Tribune / France)

Peace mediators sought today to draw a strong commitment from the Five Permanent members of the UN Security Council saying the complexity of the Darfur conflict requires concerted efforts of the international community. Presidential envoys from China, France, Russia, United Kingdom and the United States met Wednesday in Doha with the Qatari state minister for foreign affairs and the AU-UN joint mediator for Darfur peace.

Dozens of Sierra Leonean police officers join UN-African Union mission (27.05.2009)

(Quelle: UN News / International)

Dozens of police officers from Sierra Leone today joined the United Nations-African Union peacekeeping mission, known as UNAMID, in the war-torn Darfur region of Sudan. … Meanwhile, the mission reported today that the security situation in the area is relatively calm, having carried out nearly 70 military patrols and 85 police patrols to ensure civilian safety in the past 24 hours.

Sudan criticises Darfur peacekeeper reports on army (26.05.2009)

(Quelle: Reliefweb / International)

Sudan summoned U.N./African Union peacekeepers to its foreign ministry on Tuesday and ordered them to stop making statements about army movements in the western Darfur region, an official said. The move came after the joint UNAMID force issued a series of reports about recent clashes between Sudan's army and rebels over a military base close to the Chadian border. UNAMID initially said the rebels had attacked and overrun the government base in Umm Baru, on a strategic road in North Darfur, on Sunday. On Monday, UNAMID issued a correction, saying the rebels had failed to capture the base.

Joint UN-African Union mission condemns North Darfur fighting (25.05.2009)

(Quelle: UN News / International)

The hybrid African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) has condemned heavy fighting in and around the town of Umm Baru which left over 50 people injured and forced hundreds to flee their homes. According to a news release issued by the Mission, Sudanese Government forces clashed with armed elements of the rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) for several hours yesterday in the town, which is located about 100 kilometres from the Chadian border in the far west of North Darfur state.

Raiders „seize Sudan army base“ (24.05.2009)

(Quelle: BBC / UK)

Armed raiders have seized a Sudanese army base in the conflict-torn region of Darfur, near the border with Chad, international peacekeepers say. The joint UN-African Union peacekeeping force said the Umm Baru base was some 100km (60 miles) from the frontier. The identity of the attackers has not been confirmed, but rebels from the Justice and Equality Movement (Jem) have been recently active in the area.

Darfur rebels accuse Sudan of daily bombing (24.05.2009)

(Quelle: Reliefweb / International)

Darfur rebels on Sunday accused Sudan's government of mounting daily bombing raids around their positions and said they were expecting another clash with state troops soon. The Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) said it had faced regular raids since its rebel forces seized the strategic town of Kornoi last weekend in North Darfur, the scene of a recent surge in fighting and growing tensions with neighbour Chad.