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Sudan expels U.N. envoy

KHARTOUM: The Sudanese government on Sunday ordered the chief U.N. envoy to leave the country within three days after he wrote that the Sudanese army had suffered serious losses in fighting with rebels in northern Darfur.

The official Sudan News Agency said the order was issued against the envoy, Jan Pronk of the Netherlands, because he had demonstrated ``enmity to the Sudanese government and the armed forces'' and was involved in unspecified activities ``that are incompatible with his mission.''

Marie Heuze, chief spokeswoman for the U.N. in Geneva, said she could not comment on the order but noted that Mr. Pronk's comments were on his private blog and reflect ``only his personal views.''

On Thursday, the Sudanese armed forces said those remarks amounted to ``psychological war against the Sudanese army'' and declared that Mr. Pronk was ``persona non grata.''

One day later the military demanded an official apology.

The violence has risen dramatically in recent weeks in Darfur, where more than 2,00,000 persons have been killed and 2.5 million displaced in three years of fighting.

An underfunded and overwhelmed African Union force of 7,000 soldiers is struggling to keep order in Darfur.

E.U. leaders called on Sudan on Friday to accept the U.N. resolution that would send U.N. peacekeepers.

The Sudanese government is accused of attacking civilians with its own army and backing militias known as the janjaweed believed to be responsible for some of the worst atrocities.— AP

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