Bishop Mvume Dandala, General Secretary of the All African Council of Churches has expressed his indignation at the renewed attacks that have sprung up in Southern Darfur.
"We are appalled by the reports of random, indiscriminate killings, especially since ethnic and religious hatred is reported to be at the root of aggression. The reported collaboration of Sudanese soldiers in this violence is absolutely reprehensible," the Rev Dandala said.Speaking in Nairobi the cleric expressed shock at the blatant disregard of human rights.
Meanwhile, aid workers were concerned that many children in the region were extremely vulnerable, having been separated from their families during the latest attacks.
Around Shearia, approximately 10 children had died due to lack of water, one aid worker said.
According to the UN, the Darfur conflict continues to affect some 3.4 million people, of whom 1.8 million are internally displaced and 200,000 have fled to neighbouring Chad.
Reverend Mvume's remarks come in the wake of reported escalation of hostilities in the Volatile region. Reports indicate that an estimated 70,000 people have been displaced by recent attacks on two towns in the war-ravaged Sudanese state of South Darfur, humanitarian workers in the region said.
At least 50,000 were displaced in a series of attacks on camps for internally displaced people [IDPs] in Mershing town, while more than 15,000 were displaced in separate attacks on nearby Shearia.We are appalled by the reports of random, indiscriminate killings, especially since ethnic and religious hatred is reported to be at the root of aggression.
Bishop Mvume Dandala, All African Council of Churches
"Roughly 20,000 residents and up to 35,000 IDPs from Mershing have arrived in [the nearby town of] Menawashi," said Dawn Blalock, spokeswoman for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Sudan, on Wednesday.
The first attack occurred on 24 January, when Arab militia attacked Mershing - approximately 80 km north of the state capital, Nyala. They looted the central market as well as the houses and shelters of town residents and IDPs.
