The African Union accused the Sudanese government on Saturday of coordinating with Arab militias in attacks on civilians in the Darfur region, and it said all sides in the conflict were violating cease-fire agreements.
Despite peace talks and a cease-fire agreement, violence has increased over the past two weeks as rebel forces attacked a government garrison and as Arab militias known as janjaweed rampaged through a refugee camp, killing at least 32 people, the African Union said.
"We must conclude that there is neither good faith nor commitment on the part of any of the parties," Baba Gana Kingibe, head of the African Union mission in Sudan, told reporters in Khartoum.
Concerning the militia attacks on villages and refugee camps in Darfur, he said government helicopters had been seen flying in the area at the time of at least one of the attacks.
"This apparent land and air assault gives credence to the repeated claim by the rebel movements of collusion between the government of Sudan forces and the janjaweed," he said.
Mostly non-Arab Sudanese rebels took up arms against the government in early 2003 accusing them of neglect and of monopolizing power and wealth. The United Nations says the Sudanese government responded by arming Arab militia fighters, who stand accused of a widespread campaign of rape, killing and burning in non-Arab villages.
The violence, described as genocide by the USA, has killed tens of thousands of people and forced more than two million from their homes.
The Sudanese government has denied any links to the militias, but Mr. Kingibe said government forces had "considerable" influence over them.
Mr. Kingibe said aid workers had been forced to take shelter near African Union camps during the recent government attacks.
