In the early morning of 6 April 2013, members of the Sudan Liberation Army / Minni Minawi attacked and seized the towns of Muhajeria and Labado, East Darfur State.

Three wounded civilians, including one African Union - United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) national staffer, were treated at the medical facility inside the Mission team site in Muhajeria.

At both locations, UNAMID personnel reported several possible air strikes and are taking steps to ascertain the number of casualties caused by the fighting.

Thousands of civilians, many with their livestock, are concentrated around UNAMID team sites in Muhajeria and Labado for protection. The pressure from the presence of civilians, especially in Muhajeria, is growing.

UNAMID reaffirms its commitment to protect displaced civilians and is currently holding intensive discussions with the United Nations Country Team and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs on ways and means of supporting aid delivery to this population. The Mission is particularly focused on assisting those civilians concentrated around the team site.

“We in UNAMID condemn the use of force seen in the attack on Muhajeria and Labado towns in East Darfur. These actions only bring further suffering to the civilian population and undermine the peace process,” said the new Head of UNAMID and Joint Chief Mediator a.i., Mr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas.