The UN asserted that Khartoum's military was conducting air and
artillery strikes on southern Sudan. The attacks were said to have taken
place in November and December, ahead of key referendums in January
2011.
"After verification it was established by the members that air attacks
took place in the vicinity of Timsaha in Western Bahr Al Ghazal and no
casualties have been reported," UN spokesman Kouider Zerrouk said.
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In a statement on Dec. 13, the UN provided the first independent
confirmation of southern reports that the Bashir regime was conducting
bombing operations. The northern military has denied the reports.
The UN confirmation was released after the cancellation of the
referendum on independence for Sudan's oil-rich region of Abyei. Khartoum
has also sought to block the Jan. 9 referendum on the future of the entire
south.
"Scattered incidents of intimidation and obstruction were reported but
did not seem to be part of a broader pattern, and potential registrants were
generally able to participate in the process without constraint," the
statement from the joint Sudanese observer missions SuGDE and SuNDE said.