African Union (AU) Commission Chairperson Alpha Oumar Konare on Monday expressed great concern over the clashes between the Chadian army and rebels, as well as clashes between Sudan and Chad last week in Sudan's western Darfur region, which led to losses on both sides.

In a statement from the AU headquarters, Konare expressed his consternation over this incident, saying that it will "only heighten the tension between the two countries, restrict access to humanitarian assistance and increase the suffering of the civilian populations living in the region."

He greatly deplored these cross-border clashes, which occurred in the aftermath of incidents on Chadian territory.

Konare urged the two governments to exercise restraint and engage once more in dialogue, in conformity with the spirit and the letter of the Tripoli agreement, and all the other agreements they have signed.

He also urged the two governments to refrain from supporting or serving as a refuge to their respective armed oppositions.

The AU chief said the rebel groups on both sides should embark on a road to dialogue as part of the quest for solutions to their differences with their respective governments.

Source: Xinhua