“The Secretary-General is deeply concerned about the deteriorating security situation in Darfur following reports of an escalation of hostilities between the Government of Sudan and the Darfur armed movements in Central Darfur displacing at least 36,000 civilians have been displaced in Darfur due to hostilities,” according to statement issued by a UN spokesperson today.

 Ban also urges the Government and the armed movements to exercise maximum restraint, without delay, and fully assume their responsibility to prevent further displacement and suffering of civilian populations and resume dialogue to reach a political settlement to the Darfur conflict.

Additionally, the UN chief in the statement calls on parties to the conflict to fully cooperate with the UN-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) and the humanitarian partners in their efforts to protect and provide assistance to the civilian population of Darfur.

According to UN estimates, the number of people displaced by conflict has increased to more than 430,000 since the beginning of 2014, with close to 300,000 remaining displaced in addition to the more than two million long-term internally displaced persons, or IDPs.

Photo: UNAMID/Albert González Farran