The United Nations continues to press Sudan to allow an international peacekeeping force into its embattled Darfur region, even as the conflict spills into neighboring Chad.
The U.N. argues that peacekeepers are needed to help end the deadly conflict there, with a protection force at Sudan's borders to prevent a regional meltdown.
In recent months, Arab militiamen have attacked civilians in eastern Chad, razing villages and uprooting tens of thousands -- including raids on the city of Goz Beida.
Dr. Ambrogio Sangalli -- the only doctor/surgeon at Goz Beida Hospital -- says he is treating more and more civilians who have been attacked, many with gunshot wounds.
The Janjaweed militiamen were first unleashed about three years ago, by the Sudanese government, against rebels and civilians in Darfur -- where more than 200,000 people have been killed and more than 2 million driven from their homes.
Refugees from Sudan's conflict have streamed across the border seeking safe haven here in Chad. The violence has followed them. Adding to the tensions are accusations by both nations that each supports the other's rebels.
"Chad is destabilizing Darfur and the Sudanese government is destabilizing Chad," said Andrew Natsios, the U.S. special envoy to Sudan. "So we cannot deal with the problem of Darfur if we don't deal with the relationship between Chad and Sudan. This is making the conflict in Darfur much worse, much more uncontrollable."
Natsios was supposed to fly to Chad after a recent trip to Sudan, but was unable to for security reasons.
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