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Secretary-General urges Sudanese President to help secure release of abducted staff

202 views · Published 7 December 2009 · 2:31 · Indexed 20 September 2026

Channel: United Nations · 2009 · News & Politics

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United Nations, New York, 7 December 2009 - Yesterday, the Secretary-General called Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir for the sole purpose of an urgent humanitarian matter. He called to urge the President's direct engagement in securing the release of two UNAMID staff members held hostage in Darfur for 100 days, since 29 August.  
The Government has been attempting to secure their release but they have not as yet been released. One of the hostages is gravely ill and the situation is critical.
The President assured the Secretary-General that everything possible was being done.  
The Secretary-General also urged that the perpetrators of the two weekend attacks on UNAMID peacekeepers in North Darfur that killed five Rwandan peacekeepers be brought to justice.   
President Bashir indicated he had issued instructions to his security agencies that the perpetrators be apprehended as soon as possible.  
In concluding the call, the Secretary-General expressed his appreciation of the Sudanese government's support for the recent appointment of Mr. Ibrahim Gambari as the new UNAMID Joint Special Representative.

Clearly, the security situation has deteriorated following two separate attacks over the weekend, which led to the killing of 5 UNAMID peacekeepers and left about five others injured.
The Secretary-General has deplored these attacks and called on the Government of Sudan to do its utmost to ensure that the perpetrators are swiftly identified and brought to justice.  
He expresses his condolences to the families of the peacekeepers who lost their lives, and reiterates his appreciation for their service and commitment to the search for peace in Darfur.

In a related security and safety development, the acting Joint Special Representative of the African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), Henry Anyidoho, today met with officials from the Government of Sudan and various humanitarian agencies to sign the terms of reference establishing a new State Joint Committee for North Darfur

News story:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=33167&Cr=Darfur&Cr1=

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