Sudan inaction on war criminals faulted

NEW YORK CITY, N.Y., June 16 (UPI) -- Sudan is violating international law by failing to arrest Darfur war crimes suspects, the U.N. Security Council charges.

The strongly worded Security Council statement issued Monday marks the first time that group has formally taken Khartoum to task for its failure to comply with International Criminal Court arrest warrants for two Sudanese suspects, Human Rights Watch said in a Monday news release.

"The unanimous Security Council statement sends the message that Khartoum cannot obstruct justice by recycling unkept promises to accept peacekeepers," said Richard Dickerm the director of Human Rights Watch's International Justice Program. "Sudan must take real action on both justice and peacekeeping."

Sudan's continuing failure to arrest and surrender government official Ahmed Haroun and militia leader Ali Kosheib, who were charged in April 2007 with crimes against humanity and war crimes has particularly drawn the attention of international officials.