Khartoum accuses rebels of escalating international pressures over Darfur

The Sudanese government accused the rebels of Darfur of attempting to intensify international pressure on Khartoum. Reacting to criticism from the UN over the continued violence in the district, the Sudanese foreign minister Mustafa Othman Ismael said that the rebels want to give a message to the international community that the situation is deteriorating and that the international community should continue placing pressure on the government of Sudan.

The Sudanese minister welcomed Libya's plan to host a summit including certain African leaders and officials from Khartoum government and the two rebel movements in Darfur in order to give a push forward to end the conflict. He indicated that the summit will concentrate on means of providing a success for Abuja talks.

He indicated the increasing attacks of rebels against government's positions during the two past weeks.

The UN secretary general Kofi Annan said in a report submitted to the UN Security Council that the government of Sudan has not achieved any progress since last month in halting the attacks against civilians or punishing the officials over what he called the massacres in Darfur.