The United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) condemned on Thursday an attack by rebels on a base of the Sudanese army in the western Sudanese region of Darfur.
In a statement, the UNMIS expressed its grave concern over the deliberate attack which "represents an escalation and an expansion of the Darfur conflict and threatens to destabilize other regions of the country."
On Wednesday, the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and the Sudan Liberation Movement-Unity (SLA-Unity) claimed responsibility, saying that their militants had infiltrated into the neighboring Kordofan area and seized the base of the Sudanese army at Wad Banda.
In condemning this attack, the UNMIS underscored the serious implications it could have to the safety and security of civilians, and to UN activities in the area.
It said that "the attack could undermine the efforts of the UN and AU (African Union) Special Envoys at a time of serious and sensitive consultations to launch the renewed peace talks on Darfur."
The UNMIS called on the JEM and the SLA-Unity, as well as others involved in the conflict in Darfur, "to abide by their commitments to a cessation of hostilities, desist from further military action and commit to the political process offered by the Special Envoys as the only avenue to bring lasting and sustainable peace to Darfur and to Sudan as a whole."
AU Special Envoy for Darfur Salim Ahmed Salim left Khartoum on Tuesday, winding up a week-long visit in Sudan where he held meetings with Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir and other high- ranking officials and paid a tour in Darfur.
He told a press conference before departure that the peace negotiations between the Sudanese government and the Darfur rebel movements would resume in October.
Early this month, UN Special Envoy for Darfur Jan Eliasson paid a similar visit to Sudan following talks with the Darfur rebel groups in Arusha, Tanzania.
Source: Xinhua
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