ADDIS ABABA, June 14 (Xinhua) -- The African Union (AU) on Friday rejected a recent decree by the Transitional Military Council (TMC) of Sudan that called for the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) to hand over assets to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The statement was made by the AU's Peace and Security Council in a statement issued on Friday that followed its recent meeting on the activities of the UNAMID and the overall security and political situation in Darfur.

"The Council rejects the Transitional Military Council (TMC) Decree issued on May 13, 2019, which calls for the UNAMID to hand over assets to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) given that the agreement was aimed at handing over these assets to civilian institutions to assist the recovery and development of Darfur," the AU Peace and Security Council said in the statement.

The council further called on the TMC "to immediately, without conditions, rescind this decision and allow UNAMID to handover identified assets to civilian entities."

It further underscores the fact that UNAMID assets disposal "will only be carried out in accordance with UN administrative rules and regulations, as well as relevant decisions of the UN and the AU."

The council also "strongly reiterates its conviction that UNAMID exit should not create a vacuum and expose the long suffering civilian populations to renewed risks," adding that "UNAMID should not, in any circumstances, hand over security responsibility to the RSF as decided by the TMC."

It also "strongly condemns and totally rejects attacks and looting of the UNAMID and UN Agencies properties and reminds the Republic of Sudan of its primary responsibility to provide protection to both the civilian population and the UN property and calls on the Republic of Sudan to investigate and bring to account the people that carried out these crimes."