Darfur refugees more secure, says UN

A senior United Nations official has said security for refugees has improved in camps in Darfur in western Sudan.

However, the UN special envoy to the country, Jan Pronk, said rebels and the Arab militia fighting them were still causing insecurity in the region, where the conflict has displaced about one million people.

Following a meeting with Mr Pronk, Sudanese officials said the government will double the number of security forces in Darfur from 6,000 to 12,000 over the next four months.

The UN Security Council has given Khartoum 30 days to disarm and prosecute the Arab militia, or Janjaweed, or face sanctions.

Meanwhile, the UN's World Food Programme has begun making air drops of food supplies in the region.