Darfur bombing is 'unacceptable'

More than two million have been displaced by the Darfur conflict

The United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon has expressed his extreme concern over an upsurge of violence in the Sudanese region of Darfur.

Mr Ban said the bombing of a refugee camp near the mountainous Jebel Moun in western Darfur was "unacceptable".

The army says it is now in control of the area and has inflicted heavy casualties on Jem rebels.

Mr Ban called on all sides to cease fighting and cooperate with UN and African Union mediators.

Some UN aid workers have withdrawn from eastern Chad, following the bombings across the border.

"Additional reports from Darfur indicating that government and militia forces are amassing in the Jebel Moun area of West Darfur are a worrying sign that there will be continued hostilities in the area," said the UN secretary general in a statement.

A camp for displaced Darfuris was hit during the bombing, although it was empty as people had fled an earlier government offensive.

Eyewitnesses said army planes carried out the bombing. The Jem rebel group said they were attacked from three directions throughout Tuesday by government helicopters, Antonov aircraft and state-backed militias.

They said people had been injured in the attack but had not been able to count the casualties.

The Sudanese army said they had succeeded in clearing out Jem rebels who they accused of blocking aid deliveries in the area.

Army spokesman Othman Mohammed al-Aghbash said in a statement published in the Sudanese media that the army were in control and forces were "sweeping" the area which he said was a "legitimate" military target.

At least 200,000 people have died in five years of conflict between rebels, the army and pro-government militias in Darfur.

The latest influx of refugees comes as aid agencies struggle to cope with some 12,000 people who fled Darfur into Chad in the last week following previous bombing raids.

Residents say more than 100 people were killed in that offensive against three major towns.

UN humanitarian chief Sir John Holmes called for all parties to act now to stop the attacks and help bring those responsible to account under international law.

"I am very concerned for the civilian population caught in the middle of this violence," he said.

"Should further attacks occur, the consequences for 20,000 civilians in this area could be disastrous."

The joint African Union and UN peacekeeping mission is due to expand to 26,000 people this year, though currently just 9,000 peacekeepers are in place.

The government has denied links to the Janjaweed militia, accused of trying to "cleanse" the region of black Africans.

At least two million people have been displaced by the conflict in Darfur.

Sudan and Chad both accuse each other of harbouring rebel groups.