What were the Arab militias accused of?

Sudan’s government has promised UN Secretary General Kofi Annan that it will immediately start to disarm Arab militias accused of committing atrocities against blacks in the western region of Darfur. In a joint statement signed by the government and the United Nations, Sudan also pledged to send troops to the region to protect civilians. The statement was released as Mr. Annan was leaving Sudan after a three-day visit. Mr. Annan is now in Ethiopia where he is trying to promote peace with Eritrea and attend an African Union summit on Tuesday. The summit is expected to focus on economic and security issues affecting Africa.