U.N. council threatens action over Darfur attack

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The U.N. Security Council on Friday strongly condemned an attack by Sudanese army troops on a peacekeeping convoy and threatened action against anyone hindering the deployment of international peacekeepers.

"The Security Council expresses its readiness to take action against any party that impedes the peace process, humanitarian aid or the deployment of UNAMID," a council statement said, referring to the joint mission of the United Nations and the African Union in Darfur.

The council said it "condemns in the strongest possible terms" Monday's attack, blaming it on what it called "elements of the Sudanese armed forces," as reported by UNAMID earlier this week.

Sudan's ambassador to the United Nations, Abdalmahmoud Abdalhaleem, told reporters that since the statement used the wording "elements" of the army, Khartoum did not view it as a condemnation of the Sudanese government.

"Elements can mean anything," he said.

U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad told reporters there was a "range of things" the council could do if there were any more such attacks on UNAMID, including the imposition of sanctions.

Abdalhaleem dismissed the threat of possible action by the council. He said the 15-nation body had issued many warnings in the past but had never followed through.

"Unfortunately the council has yet to take any action against this because it has failed to take action on the rebels who massacred the (former African Union) forces," he said, referring to an attack in the town of Haskanita in September.

Sudan admitted on Thursday its troops had opened fire on the peacekeeping convoy, despite an earlier denial by Abdalhaleem, who blamed it on the Chadian-backed Justice and Equality movement, a rebel group in Darfur. A spokesman for the Sudanese armed forces said the attack was a "shared mistake."

Abdalhaleem insisted on Friday that "the government did not attack UNAMID."

The Sudanese army spokesman said UNAMID had failed to ask for permission to pass through the area, Sudan's state news agency reported. The United Nations has said it did tell the Sudanese army about the convoy's route in advance.

The United States and Britain have accused Sudan of dragging its feet in approving the full deployment of U.N.-AU forces, due to number 26,000 compared with the present 9,000.

But human rights groups have accused U.N. member states of failing to provide helicopters and other equipment necessary for the peacekeepers to effectively carry out their mission.

International experts estimate 200,000 people have died since mostly non-Arab rebels took up arms in Darfur in 2003, accusing the central government of neglecting the remote region. Khartoum says the West is exaggerating the conflict.

(Editing by Mohammad Zargham)