U.S. warns parties on renewed fighting in Darfur

KHARTOUM, July 05, 2004 (dpa) — The U.S. government said Monday it was concerned over confirmed reports that hostilities between the Sudanese army and Darfur rebel groups had resumed in the conflict-torn region.

A press statement issued by the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum has called on all parties to the conflict in Darfur to immediately abstain from fighting and respect the ceasefire signed in April.

Reports about possible resumption of fighting in Darfur mounted after both the U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan and the U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell visited Darfur last week to broker a halt to fighting by the Janjaweed militias.

About 120 observers mostly from the African Union (AU) have been deployed in El-Fashir, the provincial capital of north Darfur, to oversee the fragile ceasefire agreement brokered by Chad