April 1, 2008 (KHARTOUM) — Sudanese planes have bombed five areas in the war-torn Darfur region, killing a child and injuring another, Darfur rebels said on Tuesday, although the army denied any involvement.

Suleiman Jamous, a senior member of the rebel Sudan Liberation Army Unity faction, said three areas were in the desert where rebels had troops. He added two others were villages where the rebels have no presence in the north of the region which is the size of France.

"On Friday and Saturday the government bombed five areas in North Darfur by Antonov plane," Jamous told Reuters by telephone. "In Madu (village) they killed a child and injured one but there were no reports of casualties from the other four areas."

Another Darfur rebel faction also confirmed there had been bombing in the area, in the far north of the region.

The U.N. Security Council banned aerial bombardment in Darfur although the government has reserved the right to defend itself.

Sudan’s army denied it had bombed the areas. "We ... were not involved in any such clashes," an army spokesman said.

Reports from such remote areas are hard to confirm because they are largely devoid of population after 2.5 million people fled their homes during the five year war in Sudan’s west. International experts estimate some 200,000 have died from famine, disease or fighting in Darfur, violence Washington calls genocide.

Khartoum denies genocide and puts the death toll at 9,000.

Peace efforts have been stymied in Darfur by ongoing violence, banditry and infighting among rebel groups who have split into almost a dozen factions.

(Reuters)