Sudan expels 2 Western diplomats

KHARTOUM, Sudan -- Sudan expelled the top Canadian and European Union diplomats from the country yesterday for what was described as "meddling in its affairs," state media reported.

It was not immediately clear why the two were expelled, but many Western countries have alleged the Sudanese government had a role in atrocities committed in its Darfur region.

The two diplomats were summoned separately to the Foreign Ministry and were handed their expulsion notes, the official SUNA news agency reported, citing Foreign Ministry spokesman Ali Al Sadeq.

They were "involved in activities that constitute an intervention into the internal affairs of the Sudan, a matter that contradict their diplomatic duties and mission," the spokesman said.

The Canadian Embassy and the European Commission office did not immediately respond to phone calls seeking comment. The European Commission is the EU's executive branch.

In Brussels, EU spokesman Antonia Mochan said the commission "received a letter relating to the position of the head of delegation and we're trying to resolve the issue."

More than 200,000 people have died in Sudan's embattled Darfur region since ethnic African rebels took up arms against the Arab-dominated central government in 2003, accusing it of discrimination.

Khartoum is accused of retaliating by unleashing so-called janjaweed militias, which are blamed for the worst atrocities against civilians in a conflict that has displaced more than 2.5 million people.

Also yesterday, in its latest report on Darfur, Amnesty Internartional said Sudan's government continues to violate a United Nations arms embargo in the region and urged the UN to give its planned peacekeeping force the authority to confiscate weapons from combatants.

The London-based human rights organization published photographs it said were obtained from credible witnesses supporting the claim of arms embargo violations.

The photographs, taken in July, purportedly show military shipments at the Sudanese army airport in the West Darfur state capital of El Geneina, the group said.