New York  - United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Monday condemned the fighting between rebels and Sudanese government troops in El Fasher in the northern province of Darfur.

The fighting took place Monday on the outskirt of El Fasher, where the UN and African Union maintains the headquarters of its peacekeeping operation in troubled Darfur.

This follows clashes earlier this month in south Darfur involving the Sudanese Armed Forces, the Justice and Equality Movement and the Sudan Liberation Army/Minni Minawi, the UN said.

Ban "deplores these continued military actions, which continue to put civilian lives at risk and to jeopardize the political process," a UN statement said.

"The secretary general calls on all parties to immediately cease ongoing hostilities and to abide by their obligations under international law." dpa