The United Nations said on Wednesday it is temporarily removing some civilian staff from Sudan because of the security situation in the country, where security forces on Monday carried out a deadly raid on a protest camp.
“What we are doing is temporarily relocating some of the staff from Sudan. There will still be some staff on hand to perform critical functions but because of security some … are being relocated temporarily,” said U.N. spokesman Farhan Haq.
The spokesman provided no information on how many staff members were being moved, where they were going, when they might return and how many would remain in the country. The staff being relocated were civilians and no uniformed personnel is leaving, he said.
The raid followed weeks of wrangling between the ruling military council and opposition groups over who should lead Sudan’s transition to democracy and it marked the worst outbreak of violence since the army ousted President Omar al-Bashir in April after months of protests against his rule.
Medics linked to the opposition said the death toll from Monday’s operation and subsequent unrest had risen to 108 and that it was expected to increase further. No official casualty figures have been released.
