The Sudanese government in Port Sudan prevented a United Nations delegation, headed by the Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan, from visiting South and East Darfur last week, and asked them to leave Sudanese territory.
Nyala / Port Sudan — The Minister of Social Affairs in the Civil Administration of South Darfur denounced the decision, suggesting that” evidence in the area condemns the army, so they decided not to allow the delegation to reach Nyala.”
Minister El Saleh told Radio Dabanga that the UN delegation informed him last week that it was going to visit South Darfur and from there to East Darfur after visiting West and Central Darfur. He confirmed that the delegation then left Sudan for Chadian territory, adding that his civil administration is now determined to reach the UN delegation in Chad to deliver a protest memorandum for South Darfur over the authorities in Port Sudan’s refusal to allow the delegation to visit the state.
El Saleh ruled out that the Sudan Armed Forces would allow the UN visit, as “the SAF fear that the international community will see evidence of the crimes it committed in the city of Nyala, especially with regard to the mines it planted and the unexploded ordnance in several locations in the city”. He continued,”All this is evidence that condemns the army, so they decided not to allow the delegation to reach Nyala.”
