Thousands feared displaced by Darfur battles: UN

Thousands of vulnerable civilians are feared to have been displaced by a recent upsurge of fighting in north Darfur, the United Nations head of humanitarian affairs for Sudan warned on Friday.

"The UN Humanitarian Coordinator, Ms Ameerah Haq, is deeply concerned at the continued fighting between the Government of Sudan and the armed rebel movements in North Darfur," a UN statement said.

"Thousands are reported to be newly displaced by the fighting but figures are unconfirmed," said the statement, released a day after Haq visited El-Fasher, the state capital of North Darfur.

Rebel fighters have reported a spate of attacks in the past two weeks, with heavy battles between insurgents and government and militia forces backed by aircraft.

"The clashes have severely restricted humanitarian access to multiple locations in Darfur and the delivery of critical assistance to vulnerable beneficiaries," the statement added.

Meanwhile a top-level Sudanese mission sought on Friday to woo back the only Darfur rebel group to have signed a 2006 peace deal, after government forces were accused of attacking them last week.

Vice President Ali Osman Taha visited El-Fasher for talks with Minni Minnawi, a leader of the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) faction turned presidential adviser.

Last week Minnawi said his base south of El-Fasher was attacked by government forces backed by aircraft, killing four people.

The pair pledged their "commitment to and cooperation in the full implementation" of the 2006 agreement, according to a statement from the joint UN-African Union mission in Darfur (UNAMID).

A joint military committee of government and ex-rebel commanders will be formed, it added.

"The government is committed to the implementation of the peace agreement despite the... difficulties that need patience to resolve," Taha said, according to Sudan's state news agency SUNA.

Minnawi returned to Darfur three months ago citing frustration with the poor implementation of the peace agreement. He could not be reached for comment on Friday.

The recent attacks come amid mounting pressure on President Omar al-Beshir as he seeks to head off potential charges from the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes and genocide in Darfur.

According to the United Nations, up to 300,000 people have died and more than 2.2 million fled their homes since rebels rose up against Khartoum in February 2003. Sudan says 10,000 people have been killed.