Sudan attacks Darfur villages

Sudan has launched attacks on two villages in northern Darfur, the Joint UN-African Mission in Darfur (Unamid) said tonight.

Unamid reported that attack helicopters and a military convoy of 120 vehicles had been seen in the area.

Rebel leader Abdulwahid Elnur of the Sudan Liberation Movement told the UN-funded Miraya FM radio that government forces had been attacking the areas of Diza, Bir Mazza and Wadi Umbaru for the past three days.

The movement’s field commander, Abdullah Suleiman, told the radio station that the attacks had led to the displacement of thousands of civilians.

The Sudanese armed forces denied launching any attacks in the area beyond routine security patrols.