World

Sudanese Army Surrounds Camps

Kelly Hayes - Nov 2, 2004 / 4:29 pm | Story: 4986

The Sudanese army and police surrounded several refugee camps in the war-torn region of Darfur on Tuesday and denied access to humanitarian groups, the United Nations said. The Sudanese government denied its security forces closed off the camps but said angry Arab tribesmen have gathered in the area. The UN World Food Program said several camps were surrounded, apparently in retaliation for the abduction of 18 Arabs by Darfur rebels, and that the world body was forced to pull 88 relief workers from other areas where there has been an upsurge in violence in recent days. Full story
The Pentagon on Tuesday ordered several thousand U.S. troops to extend their tour of duty in Iraq for two months. Full story
The kidnappers of aid worker Margaret Hassan threatened to turn her over to an al-Qaida affiliated group within 48 hours if the British government refuses to pull its troops from Iraq, Al-Jazeera television reported Tuesday. Al-Jazeera broadcast a video of a hooded gunman but did not air the sound. Instead, the newscaster said the kidnappers gave Britain 48 hours to meet their demands, "primarily the withdrawal'' of British troops. Full story
Israeli troops Tuesday destroyed the home of a 16-year-old Palestinian suicide bomber who blew himself up in a Tel Aviv market a day earlier. Full story
China has banned the slaughter and cooking of civet cats, animals linked to the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Full story