25 killed in Darfur violence

Sudan has claimed 25 people, including 22 policemen, were killed in rebel attacks on Monday on several camps housing tens of thousands of people displaced by the 21-month Darfur conflict.

The Humanitarian Affairs Ministry said rebel attacks in North and South Darfur states breached accords signed with government officials to curb the violence in Sudan’s west, where international agencies estimate that since March, disease, malnutrition and clashes among more than 1.6 million displaced have killed more than 70,000 people.

Government-backed militias, known as the Janjaweed, and rebels of the Sudan Liberation Army began fighting Sunday in the North Darfur town of Tawilla, forcing the African Union to rescue 45 aid workers on Monday.

An aid group said a government plane bombed the town.

UN and Sudanese authorities reported a separate rebel attack on the Kalma refugee camp in South Darfur, which houses thousands of people displaced by the conflict.

In a strongly-worded statement, Sudan’s Humanitarian Affairs Ministry said 22 policemen, one medical worker and two civilians were killed in Monday’s violence.

“The rebels led a flagrant attack on IDP camps, villages and against civilians and properties violating all international agreements and all accords they signed," the statement said.

It said that Sudan remained committed to implementing accords reached in Nigeria on November 9, which called for an end to hostilities, protecting civilians and facilitating humanitarian aid to Darfur’s displaced people.

A state of emergency and 10pm-to-dawn curfew has been declared on North Darfur state, the official Al Anba newspaper and Sudanese news agency quoted Governor Osman Yusuf Kibir as saying.

Darfur’s conflict started in February 2003, when the non-Arab African SLA and allied Justice and Equality Movement took up arms to fight for more power and resources.

The Sudanese government responded by backing the Janjaweed, which are now accused of targeting civilians in a campaign of murder, rape and arson.