Twenty-six people were killed and 82 others injured in ethnic violence in the disputed Abyei area between Sudan and South Sudan, according to the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) on Thursday.
UNISFA said the violence that occurred on Tuesday at the Amiet Joint Market followed the killing of a Ngok Dinka man and a Misseriya man in two separate incidents earlier this month, “leading to heightened tensions between the two communities.”
Lieutenant General Ganesh Kumar Shrestha of UNISFA said: “We are engaging intensively with the leaders of both communities, who have reaffirmed their commitment to dialogue and to reaching a peaceful resolution to the hostilities.”
He added: “Our priority is to prevent further loss of life. We urge all community leaders to prioritize dialogue and promote peaceful coexistence.”
The statement said the UN force had strengthened its deployment in and around the market.
UNISFA consists of 3,000 police officers and soldiers tasked with protecting civilians.
