UN official: Violence in Darfur reduced by 70%

KHARTOUM - Chief of the United Nations - African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), Ibrahim Gambari on Wednesday said violence in Sudan's Darfur region has reduced by 70 percent in the past three years.

"Our figure shows that the number of armed attacks in all three Darfur states has fallen as much as 70 percent over the past three years, which has resulted in more displaced people returning to their homes," said Gambari at a press conference here Wednesday.

Gambari further reiterated that the Darfur peace agreement, recently reached in Doha, laid a good foundation for reaching a peaceful settlement in the region.

"The Doha Document for Peace in Darfur provides a unique opportunity for a new beginning. It plants the seeds for an enduring peace and paves the way towards for a better future for all Darfuris," he said.

The UNAMID chief further urged the Darfur armed movements rejecting the peace agreement to join the peace talks, saying that "This is not the time to posture. This not a time to unite for war. This is a time to unite for peace."

Meanwhile, Gambari denied that the recent resolution of the UN Security Council on extension of UNAMID mandate contained any changes in the mission mandate.

The Sudanese government, however, criticized the resolution, saying that it embodied negative signals on the security situation in Darfur and attempts to change the African nature of the mission mandate.