South African President Thabo Mbeki was in Sudan this week as part of efforts to persuade Khartoum to accept the new UN peacekeepers in Darfur.   Sudan had agreed to expand the force in December.

A Chinese envoy was there on a  four-day visit, he called on Sudan to be more flexible, and a visit by US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte rounds out the week.

If there isn’t movement on expanding the peacekeeping force, the U.S. is expected to go back to the security council for tougher sanctions.

Meanwhile, on the Chad-Sudan border, things continue to deteriorate.

The militaries of Chad and Sudan have been fighting along the border with both countries making incursions into the other. An attack by Chad on Monday killed 17 Sudanese soldiers.[1]

The leader of Chad accuses Sudan of supporting Chadian rebels based in Darfur. While Sudan accuses Chad of allowing Darfur rebels to train on its territory.

Then there’s the situation with the Janjaweed Militias

Tim Irwin is a spokesman for the United Nations High Comissioner for Refugees.