U.N. official blocked from refugee camp

Sudanese troops barred the U.N. humanitarian chief from a Darfur refugee camp whose residents have been raped and attacked by gunmen suspected of belonging to pro-government militias.

The convoy carrying humanitarian chief John Holmes was halted at a checkpoint outside the Kassab camp, and he was told he lacked the proper papers for a visit. Holmes said he had obtained the necessary clearances from the government.

Sudanese authorities in North Darfur’s capital, El Fasher, apologized, saying the incident was a mistake by military intelligence personnel at Kassab, home to more than 25,000 refugees in a region under tight control of government forces and militias known as janjaweed.

Meanwhile, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon failed to persuade Egypt to push Sudan’s leader to accept a U.N. peacekeeping mission in the region.