Darfur clashes kill three as Bashir urges reconciliation

SHATTAYA, Sudan: Clashes between Sudanese forces and residents of a Darfur camp for the displaced killed three people on Friday, the UN said, as President Omar al-Bashir urged reconciliation in the war-torn region.

Bashir, wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on genocide and war crimes charges related to the Darfur conflict, is touring the region ahead of a US decision next month on whether to permanently lift a decades-old trade embargo on Sudan.

On Friday, residents of Camp Kalma in South Darfur protesting against Bashir’s visit clashed with government forces, with three residents killed and 26 wounded, the UN peacekeeping mission in Darfur (UNAMID) said in a statement.

"I call upon everyone involved in this situation to restore calm as soon as possible," mission chief Jeremiah Mamabolo said. Camp Kalma houses more than 125,000 people displaced by the conflict, and as Friday’s clashes took place, Bashir addressed a gathering in a nearby village and vowed to back reconciliation efforts in the region.