Contrary to Sudanese government assertions that the security situation in the troubled western Darfur region has improved, civilians displaced by the conflict insist that violence perpetrated by Janjawid militias is continuing, a United Nations official said. Francis Deng, the UN Secretary-General’s representative on internally displaced persons (IDPs), visited Darfur last week accompanied by Sudanese officials. He said the IDPs talked of "persistent insecurity and human rights violations", including "many accounts" of rape of women outside their camps.