July 20, 2009 - Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today deplored reported bombings along or near the Chadian-Sudanese border and urged both countries to exercise restraint and improve their frayed bilateral relations amid rising tensions in the region.

In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Mr. Ban said he was disturbed by the report that Chadian aircraft dropped bombs near the village of Umm Dukhum in the Sudanese region of West Darfur last week."These events put the lives of Sudanese civilians at risk and could increase the tensions between the two countries," the statement said."The Secretary-General condemns the incident and takes note that the Government of Sudan has rightly responded through diplomatic means.

He urges both Governments to show restraint and make greater efforts to improve their relations."The statement noted that Mr. Ban is also concerned by reports that Sudanese Government forces bombed rebel positions in the Jebel Moon area of West Darfur on the weekend. He called on the Government and other parties to the conflict to cease all military actions and commit to a cessation of hostilities.On Friday, the head of the joint African Union-UN peacekeeping mission in Darfur (UNAMID), Rodolphe Adada, also voiced concerns about the ongoing tensions between Chad and Sudan.(UN News - click here to go to the source)

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