A Sudanese army assault killed at least 45 people in the Darfur town of Muhajiriya, rebels who control the area said today.
"Until now the number of dead civilians are at least 40, with 80 missing and a large number of injured," the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) said.
It added five SLA soldiers were killed and eight injured. The SLA faction led by Minni Arcua Minnawi was the only one of three rebel negotiating groups to sign a May 2006 peace deal with Khartoum and became part of the government.
Reports from the town said the market and many houses were burnt after army vehicles tore through.
AU force commander Martin Luther Agwai, who will command a 26,000-strong joint UN-AU force due to take over from the AU, had earlier said government planes bombed the town.
Some analysts have suggested a recent surge in violence in Darfur is an effort by warring parties to gain land before AU-UN mediated peace talks in Libya this month. Others said the government might be trying to drive rebels away from the peace process.