United Nations, August 05: The UN Security Council has condemned the attacks on civilians in Sudan and Nigeria in the recent times in which at least 185 people have been killed, including a large number of women and children.
The attacks were especially concerning given that they seemed to target women and children and involved the use of sophisticated weaponry, said the Security Council President for the month of August, Ambassador John Sawers of Britain.
Speaking on behalf of the 15-member body, Sawers stressed the need for the protection of civilians and measures to ensure humanitarian relief can reach those people in need.
Members of the Security Council supported the joint efforts of the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS), the Government of Southern Sudan and local authorities to investigate the causes of the violence and to prevent any retaliatory attacks.
If the attacks continue, Sawers warned, they could jeopardise the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, the wide-ranging pact from 2005 that ended the long-running and Sudanese civil war between north and south.
The killings took place on Sunday in Akobo in Jonglei state and the victims reportedly include more than 100 women and children. At least 60 people from the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) were also reported dead as a result of the attacks.
UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, had expressed extreme concern at the situation and directed his officials to provide assistance to the victims of the violence.
Civilian deaths in Nigeria
A top UN human rights official has expressed concern over the sectarian clashes in Nigeria, in which at least 800 people have reportedly died.
In a statement, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, hoped that the Government of Nigeria makes every effort to achieve security with full adherence to legality and respect for human rights.
Wide-scale arrests and detentions, as well as people forced to take shelter in barracks for safety, are a source of concern.
–Agencies