U.N. Official Urges More Funds for Darfur

The next few weeks are crucial for millions of people in Darfur because foreign aid efforts face collapse, and malnutrition and deaths may increase, the chief United Nations relief official told the Security Council.

Jan Egeland, the U.N. emergency relief coordinator, said attacks against aid workers had been relentless.

He said that the 7,300-strong African Union force, the only bulwark against atrocities in Darfur, needed help and that some troops had not been paid in two months. Augmenting the troops with a U.N. force is necessary to help 2 million to 3 million people return to their homes, he said.