Egypt’s Mubarak sends message to Sudanese president over Darfur

CAIRO, July 31 (AFP) — Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak sent a message to Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir on Saturday after the UN Security Council warned urged Sudan to rein in militias committing atrocities in the war-torn Darfur region.

Mubarak’s message is due to be delivered by his foreign minister, Ahmad Abul Gheit, who is expected to arrive in Khartoum later Saturday.

A resolution passed Friday by the Security Council threatened the Sudanese government with “measures” if it failed to end the bloodshed in the western Darfur province, where conflict has left up to 50,000 people dead and forced 1.2 million people from their homes, according to UN figures.

Egypt, which has been urged by the United States to use its influence over Sudan to solve the crisis, has tried to temper international pressure on its southern neighbour.