A group of aid workers are reported kidnapped in Sudan as time runs out on a United Nations-imposed deadline for the Sudanese government to disarm Arab militias.

Jan Pronk, the UN's special envoy to Sudan, will brief the UN Security Council on Thursday on what the African country has done to end the killings and improve conditions for refugees.

Attacks by pro-government Arab militias, known as Janjaweed, have left tens of thousands dead in the western region of Darfur.

Sudanese child at Zam Zam camp in Darfur, Sudan. (AP photo)
Sudanese child at Zam Zam camp in Darfur, Sudan. (AP photo)

Pronk is expected to tell the UN body that while international aid is getting to those who need it, violence remains a constant threat throughout Darfur.

A resolution adopted by the Security Council in July threatened sanctions against Sudan's government unless it failed to take steps within 30 days to disarm the Arab militias. They are accused of waging a campaign to drive people of African origin out of the region.

More than one million Sudanese have fled the fighting in the region.

A 155-member force from Nigeria arrived in Sudan Monday, part of an African Union mission monitoring a cease-fire agreement between government troops and rebels. The Nigerians will join 150 Rwandan troops already there.

Meanwhile, eight Sudanese aid workers have been reported missing from the Darfur region. Sudanese government officials say rebels kidnapped the UN World Food Program and Sudanese Red Crescent workers, but representatives from the aid agencies will only say they are missing.

Civilians targeted

Jamera Rone of Human Rights Watch, who just returned from the region, said civilians continue to be targeted.

"The security situation on the ground has definitely not improved. There continues to be Janjaweed and government raids, looting of civilians, raping of women and burning of homes," said Rone.

A Human Rights Watch report released Friday said that despite promises to disarm the militia, Khartoum has yet to produce a list of Janjaweed who have been disarmed or serial numbers of confiscated weapons.

Meanwhile, peace talks resumed between the Sudanese government and rebel groups. The rebels accuse the government of backing the militias, a claim the government denies.