U.S. Official Tours Damage in Darfur

Sudanese Aide Tries to Block Briefing

Deputy Secretary of State Robert B. Zoellick met with tribal leaders. (Abd Raouf - AP)

SHEK EN NIL, Sudan, Nov. 10 -- With the debris of a burned village crunching underfoot and African Union soldiers on guard, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Robert B. Zoellick toured a hauntingly empty stretch of Sudan's war-torn Darfur region Thursday, seeing firsthand the violent devastation that continues here nearly three years after conflict broke out.

But the visit degenerated into an angry confrontation when a Sudanese official tried to prevent Zoellick from speaking with African Union monitors, shouting in his face repeatedly. Zoellick held his ground, while startled monitors moved closer, momentarily concerned that a fight might break out.

The incident was reminiscent of a July meeting in Khartoum, the capital, between Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Sudan's president, Lt. Gen. Omar Hassan Bashir. Sudanese secret police roughed up several aides to Rice, including her translator, as well as foreign journalists trying to cover the meeting.

Rice demanded an apology, and senior Sudanese officials eventually complied.

On Thursday, Zoellick, who is on a five-day trip partly aimed at promoting a political solution to the conflict between the government and Darfur rebels, first listened to tribal leaders and the regional government commissioner, Sadiek Abdel Nabi, describe recent attacks by anti-government rebels from the Sudan Liberation Movement.

Zoellick then stepped away for a separate briefing by African Union officials, who told him the government's counterattack had included aerial bombings in this area, coordinated with allied militiamen on horseback.

Nabi followed, trying to listen in, but Zoellick reprimanded him.

"I want to hear a straight story," Zoellick said. "I don't trust your government."

But the commissioner pressed in, close to Zoellick's face.

"No," he shouted several times, waving his arms.

At that, Zoellick demanded, "Do you want me to call el-Bashir?" Then he turned away and began trudging toward a burned hut. Nabi ran after him until they stood nose to nose.

"I am el-Bashir here!" he shouted three times.