(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-05-06 10:54

UNITED NATIONS -- A senior UN official has expressed his deep concern about the rising toll of civilian deaths caused by the recent bombing of villages in Sudan's war-torn Darfur region, a UN report said Monday.

The reported bombings of villages, markets and populated areas in Umm Sidir, Ein Bassar and Shegeg Karo are unacceptable acts against civilians, General Martin Luther Agwai, the top military official with the new United Nations-African Union (AU) hybrid mission, known as UNAMID in Darfur, said.

The bombings enlarged the extent of displacement, insecurity and untold human suffering, he said.

Initial reports suggest the area "has witnessed repeated aerial attacks and possible fighting between government and rebel forces during the course of the last few days," according to a statement issued by UNAMID last week.

The attacks by Sudanese forces have left three dead and at least eight injured in North Darfur, according to UN.

The mission said it had mobilized helicopters and medical evacuation teams to evacuate casualties, adding that it had successfully airlifted wounded civilians.

The mission urged all parties involved in the Darfur conflict to adhere to international humanitarian laws that prohibit military attacks against civilians.

Since its outbreak in 2003, the Darfur conflict has claimed more than 200,000 lives and displaced nearly 2.5 million others.