Tens of thousands of people have marched through the Sudanese capital Khartoum to protest against any Western intervention in war-ravaged Darfur. The government-backed protesters said they were ready to die in a jihad if any Western troops entered the country. "Darfur will be a foreign graveyard," said one placard spotted by BBC correspondent Paul Wood at the protest.
The African Union says it has boosted the armed force it plans to send to Darfur from 300 to 2,000 troops. The United Nations has demanded Sudan take action over what has been called the world's worst humanitarian crisis. In a Security Council resolution, it gave the Sudanese government 30 days to disarm the Arab militias, called Janjaweed, that have driven hundreds of thousands of black Africans from their villages in the west of the country. The UN says refugees, especially women, have been intimidated Our correspondent in Khartoum says the Sudanese government will be emboldened by the popular support on show at Wednesday's street rally to reject the demands unless rebels from the Darfur region are disarmed as well. He says several ministers of state and senior politicians took part in the government-organised march to the United Nations building in Khartoum. A group of youths was also seen wearing black shirts and red headbands marked "martyrs brigades". |