Khartoum accused of widening Darfur offensive

by Mohamed Hasni

KHARTOUM, Oct 8, 2007 (AFP) - Rebels and former rebels in the war-ravaged Sudanese region of Darfur accused the Khartoum government on Monday of launching a major offensive against key towns ahead of UN-sponsored peace talks.

A key rebel leader, whose freedom of movement UN chief Ban Ki-moon secured on a visit to the Sudanese capital last month, accused the Sudanese army of razing a Darfur town and killing up to 100 people in retaliation for an attack on African Union troops.

And the sole Darfur rebel movement to have signed a peace agreement with the Khartoum government, accused the military of launching an assault on a nearby town that had been under its control.

The reported upsurge in fighting less than three weeks before new peace talks are due to be held between the government and the rebels drew condemnation from the US embassy although it refrained from specifically blaming the Khartoum government. Read more >>>>>>>>>>>>