'Almost 100 killed and wounded' in Darfur

Almost a 100 people were killed and wounded in a Sudanese air force bombardment in South Darfur on Wednesday, a UN spokeswoman said today.

The bombardment of villagers outside Shangil Tobaya put to flight “thousands” of people, Radhia Achouri said.

“It is definitely one of the most serious violations of the cease-fire” signed by the government and the Darfur rebels last year, Achouri said.

The United Nations mission in Khartoum spoke to Sudan’s Foreign Ministry about the bombardment, but has received no reply.

Achouri said African Union observers at the scene had reported “almost 100 casualties,” but did not give the numbers of dead and wounded.

“But 100 casualties is 100 too many, be they wounded or dead,” she said.

NGO field workers based in Shangil Tobaya, 40 miles south of El Fasher, reported witnessing bombs exploding on the ground and an air force Antonov circling overhead on Wednesday afternoon.

Later the same day, the African Union, which has 1,400 cease-fire monitors and protection troops in Darfur, confirmed there was an aerial bombardment and called it a “major violation” of the cease-fire.