Kofi Annan, the UN secretary-general, on Monday criticised the Sudanese government for its attacks on rebels in Darfur and its refusal to accept a UN takeover of peacekeeping in the country. Annan briefed the 15-member UN Security Council on the "deeply dismaying reports of renewed fighting, particularly in North Darfur".He said: "Thousands of Sudan armed forces have been deployed to the area, in clear violation of the Darfur Peace Agreement. Even worse, the area has been subjected to renewed aerial bombing. I strongly condemn this escalation. The government should stop its offensive immediately." The Darfur Peace Agreement was signed in Nigeria last May by Khartoum and the main Darfur rebel movement. Two other rebel groups have refused to sign the deal.