Sudan’s delegate to the United Nations: “The UNITAMS Head of Mission’s report omitted that it was the rebel forces who fired the first spark of clashes.”

Sudan’s ambassador to the United Nations, Harith Idris, addressed the UN Security Council on Monday, commenting on the report by UN envoy Volker Perthes. Idris stated that the Sudanese security mission had adopted an unbalanced approach in communicating with political components in the country, which weakened democratic governance or sustainable peace efforts.

He added that the report ignored who started the first spark of the conflict, which he claimed was initiated by the rebels. Despite evidence of violations such as killing, looting, and raiding civilian homes, raping women, and sabotaging healthcare facilities, the report did not condemn these violations, as it had previously accused government forces.

Idris also noted that Perthes’ negative messages during his five years as envoy had led to a shorter period of integrating the Rapid Support Forces into the army and his bias towards some political factions over others had narrowed the options. Furthermore, Perthes’ media statements threatening war, like some leaders of the Forces for Freedom and Change Central Council, complicated the political scene in the country. Idris clarified that Perthes’ report on the progress of the political process was contrary to reality since its form was one of the factors that complicated the political scene in the country.

The UN mission to Sudan began its work five years ago following the popular uprising that ousted former President Omar al-Bashir.