Secretary-General Deeply Concerned by Recent Violence in Abyei Area

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

The Secretary-General is deeply concerned by the violence that occurred over the weekend in the Abyei Administrative Area, which resulted in the tragic death of numerous civilians and attacks on the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) during which two peacekeepers lost their life in the line of duty.  The Secretary-General conveys his deepest condolences to the Government and people of Ghana and Pakistan, and to the families of the deceased civilians.

The Secretary-General condemns the violence and attacks against UNISFA and calls on the Governments of South Sudan and Sudan to swiftly investigate the attacks, with the assistance of UNISFA, and bring the perpetrators to justice.  The Secretary-General reminds all parties that attacks on United Nations peacekeepers may constitute war crimes.