Violence has persisted for 15 years in the Darfur region of Sudan, with fighting between armed movements and the government, intertribal tensions and the proliferation of arms leading to large-scale civilian casualties and the displacement of 2.5 million people, according to the United Nations.
In 2017, the United Nations Security Council reduced the number of United Nations/African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) peacekeepers by a third. Discussions are currently taking place which could see a further significant decrease in UNAMID’s mandate.
Conflict between government forces and the armed movements has declined in the last two years, although there have recently been renewed clashes. This highlights the ongoing security threat to civilians, with UNAMID unable to access many affected areas, and serves as a reminder of the UN’s commitment to protect civilians in Darfur.
