The Sudanese security forces surrounded several camps in the war-torn region of Darfur on Tuesday, relocated refugees against their will and denied access to humanitarian groups, the United Nations said. Sudan denied closing off the camps but said angry Arab tribesmen gathered in the area. The U.N. World Food Program said several camps were surrounded — apparently in retaliation for the abduction of 18 Arabs by Darfur rebels — and that the world body was forced to pull 88 relief workers from other areas where there has been an upsurge in violence in recent days.
The World Food Program fears the government may start forcing people from the camps back to their home villages, where there is less protection from government-backed militias known as Janjaweed that have been attacking towns, said spokeswoman Christiane Berthiaume. The camps, located near the southern Darfur city of Nyala, were cut off "at 3 a.m. without any warning," she said. "Agencies have been denied access to these camps since this morning." At least 160,000 refugees cannot be reached by road "because of insecurity," Berthiaume said. |