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UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 3 (Xinhua) -- The African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) on Thursday welcomed the unilateral six-month cessation of hostilities jointly declared by the Sudan Liberation Army-Minni Minnawi (SLA-MM) and the Justice and Equality Movement-Gibril (JEM-Gibril), among others, which entered into effect on Oct. 31, a UN spokesman told reporters here.
"UNAMID also welcomes the earlier announcement by (Sudanese) President Omar Al Bashir on 10 October of a unilateral cessation of hostilities until the end of this year," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said at a daily news briefing here.
"UNAMID notes the positive opportunity such a cessation of hostilities offers and hopes that it will encourage all parties to the conflict to commit to a negotiated solution," he said.
The joint African Union-UN mission also called upon Abdul Wahid El Nur, the leader of the Sudan Liberation Army-Abdul Wahid to also make a similar declaration.
"Each other party to the conflict has made gestures to indicate willingness to engage in peace; now is the time for Mr. El Nur to make such a gesture," said Martin Uhomoibhi, the Joint special representative for Darfur and the head of UNAMID, said in a news release issued by the joint mission.
While noting existing challenges, UNAMID expressed hope that gestures, such as the cessation of hostilities, would encourage all parties to the conflict to commit to a negotiated solution, including through the signing of the cessation of hostilities document presented to the parties by the African Union High Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) and in line with the Roadmap Agreement.
Further in the statement, Uhomoibhi underscored that the mission would continue to work to protect civilians in Darfur and creating a conducive environment for sustainable peace in the region.
UNAMID was set up by the UN Security Council in July 2007 and it took over from the African Union Mission in Sudan in December that year. The mission's mandate was extended until June 30, 2017 by the Security Council through its Resolution 2296.
