The security situation in Darfur is worsening:

Dec 19, 2006 (CAIRO) — The United Nations evacuated more than 70 aid workers from the largest refugee camp in Darfur, Sudan on Tuesday after gunmen looted their compounds, leaving some 130,000 refugees virtually without humanitarian help.

It was the largest single instance of an aid worker evacuation since the U.N. launched its large-scale humanitarian campaign in war-torn Darfur in 2004. Over the past year, worsening violence has made delivering vital aid to hundreds of thousands of residents difficult or impossible.

A group of over 20 gunmen raided several humanitarian compounds in the South Darfur refugee camp of Gereida late Monday, harassing staff and stealing vehicles, communication equipment and money, the U.N. Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said in a statement.

… “More than 400 (workers) have been evacuated this month, the situation is getting worse and worse,” said OCHA spokeswoman Dawn Blalock on the telephone from Sudan.

A handful of aid workers chose to remain in Gereida, but the “the vast majority” left the camp, Darfur’s largest with some 130,000 refugees, she said.

The attacks were “preventing humanitarian organizations from providing life-saving assistance” to refugees, said UN humanitarian coordinator Manuel Aranda da Silva in the statement

This is defintely not a good development.