With the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) reporting persistent banditry and deadly attacks on civilians throughout war-torn Darfur, the African-led force working to maintain peace in the vast region has begun investigating a spate of weekend violence, including armed clashes between government and rebel forces.
According to UNMIS, the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) is also investigating a reported ambush on the military in Darfur, where, tens of thousands of people have been killed and around 2 million driven from their homes since fighting between the Khartoum Government allied militia and rebel forces began in 2003.
As for the overall security situation in Darfur, the UN mission said that some banditry acts, including by the rebels groups, had reportedly taken place. It added that armed banditry persisted in the three states of Darfur, including killing of civilians, attacks and looting of commercial trucks and non-governmental organizations and their passengers.