SUDAN: Sudan carried out fresh helicopter attacks in Darfur yesterday, worsening an already desperate humanitarian situation, while Arab militia targeted refugees trying to escape the conflict, the United Nations said.
"Fresh violence today (Tuesday) included helicopter gunship bombings by the Sudanese government and Janjaweed attacks in south Darfur.
"The violence has already led to more displacement," the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in a statement from Geneva.
"Janjaweed attacks on internally displaced persons in and around IDP settlements continue to be reported in all three Darfur states," it added.
Civilians have previously said Sudan used helicopters and other military aircraft to attack villages in Darfur, but there have been fewer reports of such attacks since rebels and the government signed a ceasefire in April.
Under a joint plan agreed with the United Nations last week, Sudan said it would establish safe areas for the displaced and cease military operations by its troops and rebels there.
Meanwhile, the Irish development agency Goal has reacted strongly to an EU finding that genocide was not under way in Sudan.
"The fact that Pieter Feith and his EU fact-finding mission say it can find no evidence of genocide in Darfur is irrelevant and should not deter the EU from responding.
"The incontrovertible fact of the matter is that thousands of people have already been killed and hundreds more are dying each day," said Mr John O'Shea of Goal.
"Whether this is called genocide, ethnic cleansing, crimes against humanity or whatever is beside the point.
"Vulnerable people are badly in need of protection, and it is being denied them."