The janjaweed militia that is accused of widespread atrocities in Darfur is actively supported by the Sudanese government, US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte said today.

The UN Human Rights Council today refrained from criticising the Sudanese government for atrocities in the western Sudan region of Darfur.

The United Nations said today that hundreds of men identified by residents as Janjaweed militia forces killed about 50 civilians in an attack last week on West Darfur villages and a camp for displaced people.

Pushed to end what the United Nations calls the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, envoys of Sudan’s government gathered in Nigeria today for talks with rebel leaders in Sudan’s bloodied western Darfur region.

TWO reports have accused the Sudanese government and Arab militia of massive abuses in the western Darfur region where one million people have been displaced.