Abyei: Three direct attacks on UNISFA patrols in the past two months – Security Council Briefing

Описание: Security Council briefing by Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, on the developments pertaining to the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA).

“The humanitarian situation in the Abyei area has deteriorated since I last briefed this Council. My humanitarian colleagues went from servicing 103,000 vulnerable people during the last reporting period to a stunning 240,000 currently. This was largely due to the violence between Twic Dinka and Ngok Dinka communities near Agok in February and March, when 26 people were killed and many more injured. It is also very concerning that two humanitarian workers lost their lives as a result of those events.”

“In the past two months alone, we saw three direct attacks on UNISFA patrols, resulting in the injury of one peacekeeper, one damaged vehicle and one attack – just last week – involved a rocket-propelled grenade. Such direct, serious, violence against the United Nations peacekeepers must end immediately. I call on the relevant authorities, consistent with their obligations under the status-of-forces-agreement, to investigate these incidents as a matter of priority.”

“It was disappointing that the parties could not, at the last minute, agree on a number of key points, which resulted in the cancelation of the intercommunal dialogue event that UNISFA had organized in Entebbe.”