US congressional delegation to visit war-torn Darfur

KHARTOUM, Sept 17 (AFP) — A US congressional delegation was reportedly to start a two-day visit to the troubled Darfur region of western Sudan.

The official Sudan News Agency (SUNA) said the delegation, which includes Republican Congressman Jim Colby of Arizona and Democrat Jesse Jackson Jr. of Illinois, would be assessing the humanitarian situation during their tour.

The visit comes on the eve of a debate at the UN Security Council of a US-sponsored draft resolution calling for tougher action against the Sudanese government for failing to rein in its Arab militia allies.

Between 30,000 and 50,000 people have been killed in the 19-month-old conflict pitting government forces and their militia allies against Darfur rebels, according to the United Nations.

The conflict has also displaced some 1.4 million people and forced a further 180,000 across the border into neighboring Chad, creating the world’s worst current humanitarian disaster.

The United States said it now expected a vote on Saturday on its draft resolution pressing Sudan over the Darfur crisis, with the Security Council still at odds over the measure.

Washington had been hoping for a vote on Friday but a new revision to the measure, which threatens sanctions against Sudan’s oil industry if Khartoum does not do more to stop the bloodshed, still met council opposition Thursday.

Senate leaders on Wednesday introduced a bill calling for the suspension of Sudan from the UN Human Rights Commission, as a sanction for continued bloodshed in Darfur.