Oxfam closes offices in Darfur

2006-07-10 21:56

Khartoum - The British aid group Oxfam announced on Monday the closure of two of its offices in Sudan's war-torn western region of Darfur after the abduction of a Sudanese employee.

"The Sudanese staff member, who was taken during the hijacking of an Oxfam vehicle, has now been missing for two months, and all efforts to find him have failed," said the organisation.

The aid group said that continued insecurity made it difficult to deliver humanitarian assistance to the people of Darfur.

Oxfam regional director Paul Smith-Lomas said that more than three million people in Darfur are dependent on humanitarian assistance, and the ongoing insecurity is making it extremely difficult for aid agencies to reach people who are in desperate need.

Oxfam said it was only closing two of its six branches in North Darfur and would continue its operation in the rest of the region.

Boost capabilities

Smith-Lomas called on the international community to immediately boost the capabilities of the African Union (AU) contingent of peacekeepers, who have so far failed to contain the violence in Darfur.

Khartoum and the largest Darfur rebel group signed a peace deal two months ago but other movements have refused to sign on and factional unrest has since increased.

According to some estimates, the combined effect of war and famine in Darfur over the past three years has killed up to 300 000 people and left another two million displaced.

- AFP