UN envoy warns of worsening violence in Darfur

The steady rise of inter- ethnic violence throughout Sudan's western region of Darfur in the past months was "particularly worrying," head of the African Union- United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) said Wednesday. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, special representative of the joint force, told the UN Security Council that an increased militarization and proliferation of arms among civilians has led to more deaths, injury and displacement than the fighting between the Sudanese government and non-signatory groups this year. He warned that much more has to be done though "considerable progress was made throughout the years to bring down the initially great casualty numbers and to craft a peace process." "The parties to the conflict who have courageously embraced the path of peaceful settlement must be encouraged, supported and protected," Chambas said. He stressed that the only solution to the conflict in Darfur " will be a political one," calling for intensified efforts to accelerate the peace process. "UNAMID has continued to strongly encourage all parties to these inter-ethnic conflicts, and relevant civil society actors, to enter into dialogue with a view of addressing the root causes of the clashes and developing a common vision for their resolution, " he said. About 300,000 people have fled fighting throughout Darfur in the year to May, the UN has said. UNAMID peacekeepers have also been attacked for several times in the past months. Earlier this month, unidentified gunmen ambushed a peacekeeping team in Darfur, killing seven Tanzanian peacekeepers and injuring 17 others in the deadliest ever single attack on the international force in the country.