Powell urges Sudan to disarm militias

US Secretary of State Colin Powell said Sudan must act quickly to disarm Arab militias in its western Darfur region or face possible UN sanctions, stepping up pressure on Khartoum despite its accusation of US and British meddling in the crisis.

Powell met with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan for the second time in three weeks to discuss what he called a “humanitarian catastrophe” in Darfur, where pro-government Janjaweed militias have been accused of killing up to 30,000 civilians and forcing a million to flee their homes.