UN reports on fighting in Darfur

By Laura Trevelyan
BBC News, United Nations

Mr Ban said he had received "troubling reports" of aerial bombings in Darfur

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called on rebels in Darfur and Sudan's government to refrain from attacking each other after reports of fighting.

Mr Ban said he had received "troubling reports" of aerial bombings near Kutum in north Darfur, and fighting in the area of Tine, in west Darfur.

Sudan's government earlier denied rebel claims it had bombed their territory.

Mr Ban called on all parties to respect the spirit of the ceasefire called by the Sudanese government last week.

He also called for their cooperation with the United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur (Unamid) in investigating the reports of fighting.

Military solution

Last week's ceasefire declaration was widely seen as being part of Sudan's effort to counter moves by the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to indict President Omar al-Bashir for war crimes allegedly committed in Darfur.

An ICC prosecutor has sought a warrant for President Bashir's arrest

UN experts have accused both the Sudanese government and rebel groups of committing flagrant violations of the arms embargo against Darfur.

In a report released on Tuesday, the experts recommended the embargo be extended to all of Sudan, neighbouring Chad and northern parts of the Central African Republic to combat these violations.

All sides wanted a military solution to the conflict in Darfur, the report added, while Unamid had so far proved incapable of defending either itself or the people of Darfur.