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African Union condemns rebel infiltration of IDPs camps in Darfur

May 10, 2021 (KHARTOUM) – The Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union condemned the presence of a Darfur holdout rebel group in the displacement camps in westerns Sudan.

On Monday 10 May, the PSC made public a communiqué adopted on 13 April after discussions of the findings of a report by a field mission that visited Sudan from 30 March to 1 April 2021.

The Council “Expresses deep concern over the non-signing of the Peace Agreement by the Abdul Wahid Nur movement and condemns its infiltration and presence in the camps of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) which threatens the security of IDPs,” reads the communiqué.

This is the first time the African Union mentions the implementation of the rebel group among the residents of the IDPs camps.

The infiltration of refugee camps by armed groups violates the civilian and humanitarian character of the refugee camps and risks making refugees and humanitarian workers a target.

The Sudanese authorities, in the past, accused the armed group of using IDPs camps to hide weapons and ammunition.

On 6 May, the exiled leader of the rebel group met with the UN envoy to Sudan Volker Perthes in Juba to discuss ways to achieve peace in Sudan.

The holdout group refused to engage in peace talks with the transitional government saying they plan to hold a comprehensive conference about peace in Sudan.

The PSC called on “the Abdul Wahid Nur movement to place the supreme interests of the country and the people of Sudan above all else, and join the national peace process without any pre-conditions and further delays”.

The communiqué further requested the Chairperson of the AU Commission to engage with the Sudanese officials to ensure the security of the IDPs camps and that the IDPs get the needed humanitarian assistance.

(ST)

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