The African Union has reached an agreement with Arab, European and U.N. leaders for a joint peacekeeping mission with the European Union in Darfur. The planned force could include some 27,000 troops, including the existing 7,000-member African Union deployment. The Sudanese government took part in the deliberations but has not given its unqualified approval. U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan is calling for an international conference including the Sudanese government and rebel groups to resolve the outstanding issues by the end of the year. The agreement comes amid reports the pro-government Janjaweed militias have increased attacks on Darfurian civilians. On Thursday, Jan Egeland, the U.N.’s top humanitarian official, spoke from Western Darfur.

U.N. Emergency Relief Coordinator Jan Egeland: “We have a total meltdown now for security in Darfur. I never believed it would have gotten so bad in recent weeks. We hear story after story of armed men attacking defenseless women and children, of women being raped.”