U.S. President George W. Bush imposed Tuesday economic sanctions against Sudan's government over the ongoing Darfur conflict.

"The Department of Treasury is tightening U.S. economic sanctions on Sudan," Bush said in a statement alleging Khartoum had failed to halt the bloody conflicts in the Darfur region.

The sanctions target state-run oil companies, and three individuals, including a rebel leader suspected of being involved in the violence in Darfur.

Urging Sudan to let international peacekeepers into Darfur, Bush also directed Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to consult with Britain and other allies to draft a U.N. resolution to strengthen international pressure on Sudan.

Khartoum was under mounting pressures to approve the deployment of U.N. peacekeepers in Darfur. It has accepted the first two phases of a U.N. peacekeeping plan for Darfur but stalled the third phase of the plan to create a much larger U.N.-AU hybrid force.

Many civilians in Darfur, western Sudan have been displaced and a number of civilians have been killed since tribal clashes and anti-government rebellion erupted in February 2003.

Source: Xinhua