UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 15 (Xinhua) -- The Security Council on Friday voiced concern over the operating conditions of the UN peacekeeping force in Abyei, a disputed area along the Sudan-South Sudan border.
In a press statement, the members of the Security Council expressed their grave concern over recent developments in Gok Machar, South Sudan, including threats to the safety and security of peacekeepers which resulted in the death of a peacekeeper from Ethiopia on Sept. 14.
The council members reiterated their full support for the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) and expressed their continued concern that the full implementation of UNISFA's mandate is being obstructed.
The council members demanded the South Sudanese government to facilitate the unimpeded implementation of UNISFA's mandate and provide full support to UNISFA's personnel by removing any obstacles that hinder UNISFA's work to protect civilians, including by ensuring the mission's freedom of movement and by facilitating UNISFA's provision of food, medicine, and other supplies to its personnel.
The council members underscored the important role of UNISFA and the Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mechanism (JBVMM) in support of achieving peace, security and stability in Abyei and the broader region, and urged the government of South Sudan to intensify its mediation efforts with members of the local community in Gok Machar to reduce tensions and to provide for the redeployment of UNISFA personnel to team sites 11 and 12.
The council members further called on Sudan and South Sudan to convene a meeting of the Joint Political and Security Mechanism to address the existing challenges and facilitate the work of the JBVMM.
The press statement was released after the Security Council heard a briefing on Wednesday on the sharp deterioration of the operating conditions of UNISFA in South Sudan. Enditem
