In a speech before African leaders on Monday, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged Sudan’s government and rebels to halt fighting in the Darfur town of Muhajiriya.

Ban Ki-moon: “I urge maximum restraint on President Bashir and have urged the JEM rebels to withdraw from the city to protect innocent civilians. UN peacekeeping forces in the city are there to protect the 15,000 IDPs, internally displaced persons, as per our mandate. We will continue to do our duty there despite calls for the UN withdrawal by the Sudanese government.”

Addressing the situation in Somalia, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the UN Security Council will soon decide whether to send troops to the East African nation.

Ban Ki-moon: “Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed’s election gives us hope that the political process can move forward. We are moving quickly to give major assistance to the Africa Union’s AMISOM forces, as well as the new Somali security forces. The Security Council will decide in a few months if we should introduce a full UN peacekeeping operation in Somalia.”