Khartoum has ordered the United Nations Resident Coordinator Ali Al Za’tari and UN Development Program Country Director Yvonne Helle out of the country, according to initial reports confirmed by Inner City Press.

According to the news organization, the UN has filed a protest following the expulsions. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also put out a statement calling on “the Government of Sudan to reverse its decision immediately and urges it to cooperate fully with all United Nations entities present in Sudan.”

Neither the Sudan government nor the UN offered an explanation for the move. Khartoum has been ramping up anti-UN rhetoric recently. President Omar al-Bashir recently asked the UN-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) to prepare an exit strategy.

Helle has been ordered to leave by December 29 and Za’tari by January 2.