UN renews mandate of its mission in Darfur

The United Nations security council has renewed the mandate of the peacekeeping mission in Darfur for four months

The council also requested the secretary-general and the chairperson of the African Union Commission to provide a special report on the situation on the ground by the end of September.

An earlier council resolution has stated the mission would exit the country by June next year provided there were no significant changes in the security situation in Darfur.

After a security crackdown against protesters in the capital Khartoum earlier this month, several council members expressed concern that they did not have a reliable governing partner in the transitional military council.

It was a unanimous decision by the council to extend the mandate of the mission and pause the planned crackdown.