The UN Security Council has adopted a resolution that will end the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Sudan’s Darfur (UNAMID) on Dec. 31, South African Ambassador to the United Nations Jerry Matjila said.

“The result of the voting is as follows; the draft resolution received 15 votes in favour.

“The draft resolution has been adopted unanimously,” Mr. Matjila, who presides with the UN Security Council during the month of December, said on Tuesday.

The draft resolution, sponsored by the United Kingdom and Germany, will terminate the mission’s mandate after it was renewed by the UN Security Council on June 3.

As a result of the decision, more than 6,000 military and 1,500 civilian UNAMID personnel will be withdrawn from Sudan. 

In 2003, rebels in the Darfur region in western Sudan launched an insurrection to protest what they contended was the Sudanese government’s disregard for the western region and its non-Arab population. 

The government in turn equipped and supported Arab militias—which came to be known as Janjaweed—to fight against the rebels in Darfur. The militias, however, perpetrated genocide against the Darfur civilians and prevented international aid organizations from delivering much-needed food and medical supplies. 

On July 31, 2007, the United Nations Security Council authorized a joint UN-AU peacekeeping mission (UNAMID) to replace the AU mission which had been there since 2004.

(Sputnik/NAN)