Widespread atrocities taking place in the Darfur region of Sudan qualify as a genocide, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said Thursday.

"We concluded that genocide has been committed in Darfur and that the government of Sudan and the Janjaweed [Arab militias] bear responsibility – and genocide may still be occurring," said Powell as he testified before the U.S. Senate's foreign relations committee.

Colin Powell testifies before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Capitol Hill (AP Photo)
Colin Powell testifies before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Capitol Hill (AP Photo)

Critics say the Sudanese government has been supporting the Janjaweed, Arab militias accused of attacking Darfur's black residents and carrying out a brutal campaign to drive out the local population.

The government denies the charge.

Tens of thousands of Darfur residents have died and more than 1.2 million have been displaced from their homes, according to the report.

The qualification of the Sudan atrocities as a genocide are the strongest words yet to come from the U.S. State Department.

Powell said that under an international convention, Sudan must act to prevent acts of genocide, but "has failed to do so."

He said countries that have signed on to the accord may call on the United Nations to take action under the UN charter "as they consider appropriate for the prevention and suppression of acts of genocide."

Powell's remarks follow a State Department report based on interviews with 1,136 Darfur refugees.

The interviews revealed a "consistent and widespread pattern of atrocities committed against non-Arab villagers."

The report said 61 per cent of the refugees witnessed the killing of a family member and 16 per cent said they had been raped or had heard about a rape victim.