Pronk says Sudan regime criticism led to his expulsion

United Nations: The top UN envoy to Sudan said he was ordered to leave the country by Sudanese officials because of his "incessant criticism" of the government and accusations that it is violating the Darfur peace agreement and UN resolutions.

Jan Pronk, who left Sudan on Monday after the government gave him three days to get out because of critical postings on his personal Web blog, told reporters he believes the Sudanese government continues to "seek a military solution" to the conflict in Darfur despite signing a peace agreement with one of the rebel factions.

Pronk, who has been the UN special representative for Sudan since June 2004, had written on his blog that the Sudanese army was mobilising Arab militias in Darfur following heavy losses in fighting with rebels in violation of UN resolutions.

Sudan's military blasted Pronk's comments, branding them "psychological warfare against the Sudanese army". The country's UN ambassador, Abdul Mahmoud Abdul Haleem, said on Friday the government had "terminated his mandate" because Pronk was "threatening our national interest". But Pronk said he was revealing the facts of the situation in his role as special envoy and did not intend to provoke or insult the military.

"I have been completely free ... to make the facts and analysis behind them known to everybody," he said. "It's not the issue of where you say something, it's the issue of what you are saying." He said he believes his "incessant criticism" of the fact that "the government continues to seek a military solution despite the fact a cease-fire agreement has been signed" was the reason he was ordered to leave.

Five killed in armed attack

Unknown armed men attacked a south Sudan village killing five people, the latest in a spate of assaults terrorising villagers and hampering humanitarian aid access. Almost daily attacks have shocked residents around southern Sudan's capital Juba over the past 10 days, including four last week which claimed 38 lives. Thursday's attack was on Garbo village, which faces Juba on the Nile.