By Anne Mugisa

THE Sudanese deputy ambassador to Uganda, Abdelrahim El-Siddig Mohamed Omer, has refuted reports of a troops build-up in Darfur.

The United Nations warned on Tuesday that the Sudanese government forces have been massing in the war-ravaged Darfur region, raising fears of renewed violence.

The reports came a day after the US demanded concrete moves towards peace in the territory.

Omer said Sudanese forces carry out monthly and routine movements to secure the humanitarian workers and displaced persons in the area. “The deployment has nothing to do with a troops build-up in the area. The rebels’ movement has also refuted the military deployment,” he said.

The joint UN-African Union UNAMID force on Tuesday reported there were signs of military escalation in Darfur, where two million people have fled over six years of conflict.

Omer, however, said the UNAMID sources were relying on unreliable sources.

He said the Sudanese government is committed to the peaceful settlement of the conflict in Darfur.

The ambassador added that his government had no intention of a military action in the area.