Secretary-General Condemns Looting of Saraf Umrah Site Handed Over to Sudan after African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur Mandate Ended

The following statement was issued by the Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

The Secretary-General condemns the looting of the first site, Saraf Umrah in Darfur, handed over to the Sudanese authorities following the end of the UNAMID [African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur] mandate in December 2020.  At a time when community needs in Sudan are increasingly pressing, the site was intended to serve as a vocational training centre; unknown assailants have dashed that opportunity.

The Secretary-General calls on the Sudanese authorities to investigate the incident and ensure sufficient security presences for subsequent handovers so that facilities are preserved for civilian use.