Fear mount as peacekeeping mission in Sudan’s Darfur ends

Despite recent violent clashes in Darfur that have left residents fearful, the United Nations-African Union mission in Darfur is set to end its 13-year peacekeeping operations in the conflict marred region. 

In a statement on Wednesday, the mission said, 

“The joint United Nations-African Union mission in the Darfur region of Sudan (UNAMID) will officially end operations on Thursday, when the Government of Sudan will take over responsibility for the protection of civilians in the area.” 

Atleast 15 people died and several others wounded in the tribal clashes last week which emerged even though bitter conflict that began in 2003 largely subsided. 

In the recent weeks, many citizens who were displaced held protests  against the mission’s imminent departure.

Speaking to AFP at a sit-in at Kalma camp in Nyala, the capital of South Darfur, Darfuri Mohamed Abdelrahman said, “The lives of Darfuri people are at stake, and the United Nations should reconsider its decision.”

 According to the UN, the phased drawdown will start in January and end after six months.

The banners of the protestors against the mission read,  “we trust UN protection for IDPs (internally displaced people),” and “we reject UNAMID’s exit.”

Sudanese authorities have said violence will be contained by troops that will be deployed to the region. 

When African minority rebels rose up against president Omar al-Bashir’s Arab-dominated government in 2003, conflict erupted in Darfur. The rebels accused the government of marginalising the region.

Bashir’s government unleashed an armed militia of mostly Arab nomads known as the Janjaweed, who have been accused by rights groups of “ethnic cleansing” campaigns and widespread rape.

The UN reported that the fighting displaced 2.5 million. 

In April 2019, the army deposed Bashir amid unprecedented months-long protests against his rule. Later in in August that year, the military agreed a power sharing transition with civilians. 

The transitional government signed a peace deal with rebel groups including in Darfur in October. 

The Darfur-based Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) led by Abdelwahid Nour is one of the two rebel groups that rejected the deal.