Sudan seeks Arab help to avert UN sanctions

Sudan sought Arab help yesterday to head off possible sanctions threatened by the United Nations if Khartoum fails to rein in marauding militiamen accused of genocide and ethnic cleansing in its western Darfur region.

Sudan has about three weeks left to show the UN Security Council it is serious about disarming the Janjaweed militia or face possible sanctions. Darfur rebels says Khartoum backs Janjaweed attacks to drive non-Arab villagers off their land.

Sudan's Foreign Minister Mustafa Osman Ismail said Khartoum was seeking political support from Arab ministers, due to meet at the Arab League in Cairo, "which will lead to the halting of any attempts to target Sudan or issuing sanctions against it."

The Cairo-based Arab League has said the threat of sanctions will not help resolve the humanitarian crisis in Darfur, where the UN says fighting has killed 50,000, displaced one million and made two million short of food and medicine.