SUDAN:THREE HUNDRED Sudanese government battlewagons have begun a major offensive to clear space for Chinese oil exploration in Darfur's far north, according to rebel commanders who have lost ground.
Chinese oil exploration companies have been waiting for the government to secure the region before beginning work.
Last month Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir embarked on a two-day peace mission to Darfur, promising investment in the war-torn desert land and inviting rebel leaders to talks.
Mr Bashir's visit came days after the International Criminal Court's prosecutor accused him of genocide, murder and crimes against humanity.
Suleiman Marajan, a commander with one faction of the Sudan Liberation Army, said the government had lied to the world with its message of peace.
"The government of Sudan has attacked our places with 300 vehicles. They have been here for three days protecting Chinese oil workers," he told The Irish Timesby satellite telephone from North Darfur.
He said technicals - pickups mounted with heavy machine guns - had attacked rebel positions in Wadi Atron, and had killed seven people.
North Darfur has seen some of the most bitter fighting during the five-year conflict.
Many of the region's camel-herding nomadic tribes - who saw their livelihoods crumbling as the Sahara advanced from the north - answered the government call to help put down the rebel uprising. They formed the core of the feared Janjaweed militia.
More than 200,000 people have died since then and two million more eke out a miserable existence in aid camps.
A joint United Nations and African Union peacekeeping force has so far failed to stem the violence since being deployed at the start of the year.
Now the conflict is in danger of being further complicated by the search for oil.
Sudan is already one of Africa's biggest producers of crude, pumping 500,000 barrels a day. About two-thirds is destined for China.
North Darfur lies in an oil exploration block controlled by a Saudi-led consortium.
Last month, Ansan Wikfs, a Yemen-based firm, said it was in talks with two Chinese exploration companies to begin seismic surveys.
However, no work could begin until the area was under Sudanese military control.
No one from the company was available to comment yesterday.
Fouad Hikmat, Sudan analyst with the International Crisis Group, said the offensive bore all the hallmarks of an attempt to find oil.
"The government believes it can have development in areas where it has military control, even though there is war all around.
"It is what they did in south Sudan during the civil war there and it appears to be what they are now doing in north Darfur," he said.