Glad to see Reuters reporting on a West Darfur security incident this week, "Armed men in Darfur attack aid convoy, beat staff". Most of us out here heard about this over the long weekend, but I have to admit it was just one in a long list of attacks and security updates that are reported at weekly meetings, in emails and rushed Thuraya satellite phone conversations. The reason this one got more attention than the others is that it targeted aid workers rather than Sudanese civilians.

Attacks on both private and commercial vehicles are a daily occurence in Darfur - and often involve harassment, beating, rape or in the worst case murder. If they wanted to, Reuters and the other news sources could probably publish an article like this about incidents involving local people every day.

It's fair enough that the international media and aid workers (including my good self) are suddenly becoming more interested and vocal now that outsiders have also started to become targets - but it should not detract from the fact that, actually, people in Darfur experience this kind of violence pretty much on a daily basis.

Tags: Sudan, Darfur, aid worker, attack, violence