By Opheera McDoom KHARTOUM, May 2 (Reuters) - The United Nations on Friday said Sudanese government planes had bombarded rebel areas in North Darfur, killing three people and wounding several others. The U.N. statement was the first independent confirmation of attacks reported earlier this week by rebels but denied by Sudan's army. The rebels said on Tuesday the bombings showed that Khartoum was not serious about wanting peace in the region. The U.N. said initial reports indicated the area had suffered "repeated aerial attacks and possible fighting between government and rebel forces during the course of the last few days." Darfur has been beset by violence since mostly non-Arab rebels took up arms in early 2003 against the government, accusing Khartoum of neglect. International experts estimate some 200,000 people have died and 2.5 million driven from their homes. Sudan blames the Western media for exaggerating the conflict and puts the death toll at 10,000. The U.N. said it evacuated eight wounded men after the latest assaults. A joint U.N.-African Union peacekeeping mission, known as UNAMID, is trying to stem the violence in Darfur but is only about a third of its desired strength of 26,000 troops and police and cannot cover many of the remote areas where fighting and bombing continues. "UNAMID succeeded, today, in organizing an operation to air-lift wounded civilians, following SAF (Sudan army) air attacks on the village of Umm Sidir in North Darfur," the statement said. "One man, who has suffered severe head injuries from shrapnel, is said to be in a critical condition, another is awaiting surgery. The other men are in a stable condition," it added. It said the world body was conducting further investigations on the ground. Two men and one woman were killed by the bombings. Any offensive flying in Darfur is prohibited by a U.N. Security Council resolution, but rebels report bombing almost monthly in Sudan's war-torn west. Sudan's planes often miss their target and civilians get caught in crossfire. Some rebels also shelter within village communities drawing fire onto civilians. About two-thirds of Darfur's estimated 6 million population depend on the world's largest aid operation for food, shelter and healthcare. (For full Reuters Africa coverage and to have your say on the top issues, visit: http://africa.reuters.com/) (Editing by Matthew Jones)
Women chant slogans outside Al Alamal hospital in Khartoum May 2, 2008 where Al Jazeera cameraman Sami al-Haj is admitted after he was released from the U.S. military facility at Guantanamo ...
