The peacekeeping mission in Darfur, UNAMID, has accused the Sudan Liberation Army, led by Abdel Wahed Mohamed Nour, of being involved in rape against women in Darfur during fighting between two factions of the movement, however, the fighting caused displacement of thousands of people.
In a statement received by Darfur 24, UNAMID said that the people of Darfur have been subjected to a great deal of suffering and unwarranted displacement due to renewed eruption of fighting between
two factions of the Sudan Liberation Army, Abdul Wahid Al-Nur Wing (SLA-AW) which resulted in killings, rape and the displacement of thousands of people from their villages and hamlets.
“On 12 June, a UNAMID team conducted a verification mission to Wegi village and confirmed the incident. Witnesses also informed UNAMID that on 12 June, elements from one rival faction allegedly raped a
woman and her four daughters in Tairo village during the fighting” the mission said in a statement.
UNAMID’s Joint special representative (JSR) Jeremiah Mamabolo deeply regrets that these clashes are happening at a time when the Transitional Government, the armed movements, the political parties
and all Sudanese are engaged in negotiations in Juba; in order to bring such unjustified suffering to an end.
“It is a pity that those who had carried arms in order to defend the hopes and aspiration of the people of Darfur have become the very cause of their suffering” he said
“I therefore call upon the two warring factions to immediately stop fighting and resort to peaceful means in resolving their differences. Violence can only aggravate animosity and it comes at a great cost to
women, children and other innocent civilians. Suffice it to say that 80 per cent of those displaced by this wave of fighting are women and children,” he concluded.