Sudan raids 'may be war crimes'

REFUGEES who fled Sudan's Darfur region have given accounts of attacks by Sudanese troops and government-backed militia on civilians that may constitute war crimes or crimes against humanity, according to a UN draft report.

The draft report by a United Nations human rights mission, which has left Geneva for Sudan to continue its investigation, called for an international inquiry into the allegations.

"The mission was able to identify disturbing patterns of massive human rights violations in Darfur, many of which may constitute war crimes and/or crimes against humanity," the report concluded.