Outrage at genocide. A commitment to peace and security for the people of Darfur.

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More than 2.5 million people have fled their homes in Darfur

More than 50,000 people are suffering in the latest cycle of violence in Sudan's West Darfur region, says the UN humanitarian affairs agency, Ocha.

"Some of their homes were burnt to the ground. They have absolutely nothing left," said Ocha's Orla Clinton.

Local residents say government aid raids over the last three weeks have been followed by militia raids.

China's envoy to Darfur has urged Sudan to accept the full deployment of a UN-African Union peacekeeping force.

In a rare public rebuke to Khartoum, visiting envoy Liu Guijin said it should "co-operate better with the international community" on the force, according to a report by Chinese official news agency Xinhua.

The force began deploying in January, but still lacks most of the 26,000 personnel planned for the mission - due in part to Sudanese objections concerning the international composition of the force.

China has come under increasing pressure to use its influence with Sudan to end the fighting.

'Helicopter down'

Ms Clinton said up to an estimated 58,000 civilians in the areas of West Darfur attacked over the last few weeks were particularly vulnerable.

"They are dependent on humanitarian aid, they are at risk of further attacks, and they are in desperate need of further protection," she told the BBC's Network Africa programme.

She said she was particularly concerned about civilians in the Jebel Moun area affected by the latest aerial bombardments.

The Sudanese army lost a helicopter close to the West Darfur capital, Geneina, on Sunday, but the cause of the incident is disputed.

A spokesman for the rebel Justice and Equality Movement (Jem) told Reuters it had downed the helicopter, but the army says the accident was due to a faulty engine.

Envoy's rebuke

Meanwhile, the Sudanese defence minister said the army had destroyed nine rebel camps in recent military operations in West Darfur.

Abdel Rahim Mohammed Husein told the official Suna news agency the army now "totally controls" the region including Salia, Jebel Sujuj, Sirba and Jebel Moun.

Mr Liu used unusually frank language

Mr Liu began a five-day visit to Sudan on Sunday, and is set to travel to Darfur on Tuesday, the fifth anniversary of the start of the conflict which has left 200,000 people dead and 2.5 million homeless.

In his comments to Xinhua, Mr Liu said deploying the peacekeeping operation and resolving the Darfur issue required "the joint efforts of all sides.

"First, the Sudan government should co-operate better with the international community and demonstrate greater flexibility on some technical issues. Next, anti-government organisations in the Darfur region should return to the negotiating table."

China has long had strong trade and military links with Khartoum, which is accused of backing militias that have raped and murdered civilians in Darfur - accusations it denies.

But Beijing is keen to show it is playing a positive role in the region, says the BBC's Amber Henshaw in Khartoum.

Mr Liu said Sudan only bought 8% of its weapons from China and said if China stopped selling weapons, they could easily be purchased from other countries.

Steven Spielberg recently pulled out as artistic adviser to the Beijing Olympics, saying China was not doing enough to end the humanitarian crisis in the troubled Sudanese region.

Darfur Needs 24 Helicopters

 
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The Sudanese delegation announced a unilateral ceasefire

Talks in Libya aimed at trying to end the four-year war in Sudan's Darfur region are entering a second day.

The talks began on Saturday with the Sudanese government announcing a unilateral ceasefire.

But with key rebel leaders boycotting the talks, pessimism is growing that they will have any lasting impact, says the BBC's Jonah Fisher at the talks.

Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi said there were limits to what international intervention could achieve in Darfur.

'Tribal problem'

At the gathering in the Libyan city of Sirte, Sudanese presidential adviser Nafie Ali Nafie said: "We announce a ceasefire from this moment, and we will respect it unilaterally."

However, several ceasefires have previously been agreed and none has ended the violence.

Some 200,000 people have died and two million have been displaced in the conflict.

To internationalise a tribal problem is an exercise in futility Muammar Gaddafi Darfur deal a distant dream Sudan survivor link-up The Darfur rebel groups

Both the SLA-Unity and the Justice and Equality Movement (Jem) groups decided not to attend after the UN and the AU - who are mediating the talks - invited other rebel groups they claim have little support, said Mohammed Bahr Hamdeen, a senior Jem leader.

The talks are being hosted by Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.

He said without the two groups' leaders present in Sirte, "we cannot achieve peace".

"As long as they object to this conference, then there is no justification for the international community to intervene," he said.

Mr Gaddafi also cast doubt on what the international community could achieve in Darfur.

"To internationalise a tribal problem is an exercise in futility," he said in his opening remarks to the gathering.

Rebels divided

But the African Union envoy for Darfur said the talks were a new opportunity for the region.

Quick guide: Darfur

"The journey has been long, arduous and extremely challenging. And the results... have been mixed. But today we are here in this historic city of Sirte for another new beginning," said Salim Ahmed Salim.

Fighting in Darfur began in 2003 when rebels attacked government targets.

Sudan's government then launched a military and police campaign in Darfur.

A 2006 peace deal faltered because it was signed by the Sudanese government and only one rebel group.

The rebel movement then splintered into at least 12 groups and sub-factions.

UK pledge

Large numbers of Darfuris are strongly opposed to the talks and doubt that the negotiations will lead to any concrete improvements on the ground, says the BBC's Amber Henshaw, in Darfur.

On Saturday, the UK announced an additional £6m of funds to support peace efforts in Darfur.

The funding will be divided between support for the AU-UN peace talks in Libya, which will receive £1m, and the Darfur Community Peace and Stability Fund, launched at the start of talks by the UN and international partners, which will receive £5m.

International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander said the money will be "used for grassroots development activity such as rehabilitating water points, health clinics and schools, to make an immediate improvement to people's lives and help to restore peace and confidence".