I. Introduction
1. The present report is submitted pursuant to Security Council resolution 1881 (2009), by which the Council requested me to report every 90 days on progress made towards implementing the mandate of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) across Darfur, as well as on progress made on the political process, the security and humanitarian situation, and the compliance by all parties with their international obligations.
2. In accordance with the request of the Council in paragraph 6 of the same resolution, this report also includes, for the Council's consideration, a proposal for a strategic workplan containing benchmarks to measure and track progress made by UNAMID in implementing its mandate.
3. In addition to covering the 90-day reporting period of August through October 2009, the present report also covers the month of July 2009, which was not included in my last report owing to its early submission ahead of the Council's discussions on the renewal of the mandate of UNAMID.
II. Security situation
4. During the period under review, United Nations security phase IV was in effect throughout Darfur, with the exception of the towns of El Fasher, Nyala and Zalingei, where the security phase was lowered to phase III on 10 August 2009. Despite the change in security phase in certain localities, there have been serious negative developments affecting the security and safety of UNAMID staff and the staff of United Nations agencies and non-governmental organizations in Darfur.
5. As of today, two international staff members of UNAMID are still being held in captivity in an unknown location since being forcefully taken from their home in Zalingei (Western Darfur) on 29 August 2009. Two international aid workers employed by an international non-governmental organization (NGO) were kidnapped from their residence in Kutum (Northern Darfur) on 3 July 2009 and held for 107 days before being released on 18 October. On 22 October, an international staff member of an international NGO was abducted near El Geneina (Western Darfur). These incidents of hostage taking of international workers are a new and deeply troubling development in Darfur, with the potential to undermine the efforts of the international community. The security implications of these events have already led to the suspension of some activities and programmes by the humanitarian community and are a clear testimony to the risks that United Nations and NGO workers face in Darfur. Until their security is unconditionally guaranteed by all parties in Darfur, the activities of UNAMID and the agencies will continue to be a risky and dangerous undertaking. The safety of both United Nations hostages, meanwhile, remains an urgent concern and efforts are ongoing at the highest levels to secure their safe and unconditional release.
6. UNAMID personnel were also targeted by direct attacks on four occasions during the reporting period, resulting in the death of one peacekeeper. On 26 August 2009, a UNAMID patrol team of three vehicles and one armoured personnel carrier was attacked approximately three kilometres (km) from the Fata Borno camp for internally displaced persons in Northern Darfur. Although the incident resulted in no injuries, the attackers stole one of the vehicles, bringing the total number of vehicles carjacked from UNAMID, United Nations agencies and non-governmental organizations during the reporting period to 19.
