Darfur rebels says Sudanese forces have attacked rebel positions in North Darfur for a second consecutive day, but the military denies the reports.

The insurgent Sudan Liberation Army says it battled government soldiers who were trying to push west into rebel-held parts of Jebel Marra Sunday.

The rebels say government forces attacked the same area Saturday. They say at least 60 civilians, rebels and government soldiers have died in the violence.

The state-run Sudan Media Center says the government troops are not fighting, and are only guarding roads in the area to protect humanitarian convoys from rebel attacks.

The U.N.'s World Food Program warned Sunday that it will suspend operations in some areas of Darfur unless the security situation improves. The agency says 100 of its vehicles have been hijacked this year.

The joint African Union-United Nations peacekeeping mission in Darfur says it is investigating the reports of fighting.

The conflict in Sudan's Darfur region began in 2003, when African ethnic minority rebels took up arms against the Arab-led government and state-backed Arab militias.

The fight for resources and power has killed more than 200,000 people, and displaced 2.5 million others.


Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.