Sudan gov't asks Darfur rebels to release seized properties

The Sudanese government on Wednesday urged the United Nations (UN) and the African Union (AU) to force Darfur rebels to release seized properties.

This came when State Minister of the Sudanese Foreign Ministry Najib al-Khair met with AU representative in Sudan Baba Gana Kingibe and UN deputy representative in Sudan Da Silva.

Al-Khair appealed to the UN and the AU to compel Darfur rebel groups to bring back "properties of innocent citizens that the rebels seized last month in Al-Malam area" in south Darfur state.

"If the UN and the AU fail on this issue, it will abort any effort exerted by the international community to bring peace to the region," he warned.

He said the Sudanese government is worried about the rebels' underestimation of the international laws, particularly those which authorize the international community to respond to any aggression against free nations.

Kingibe, on his part, condemned the rebels and warned them of negative consequences of their behaviours against the resumption of peace talks in Abuja, Nigeria, promising to seek the release of captives and return of properties.

Source: Xinhua