Recent violence in the Darfur region of Sudan has forced a UN operation to relocate after fresh fighting destroyed a UN office, according to a statement in New York on Tuesday by Kenro Oshidari, acting UN humanitarian coordinator for Sudan. He said the UN office in the Muhajeria area in south Darfur was burned to the ground after a new surge in fighting broke out between the rebel Justice and Equality Movement and Sudan Liberation Army/Minni Minawi. Oshidari said: “The rebel clash that destroyed the UN office follows an aerial bombing in the region by Sudanese government forces last Thursday.” The UN estimates that the lives of as many as 30,000 civilians in the Muhajeria region are under threat. Oshidari therefore called for an immediate halt in the violence. According to him the hostilities must stop so that aid agencies can get back to the town to continue their life-saving work.
