PM steps up pressure to end 'humanitarian tragedy' in Darfur

Mr Brown said that sanctions against the Sudanese Government should be stepped up and urged militia groups in the stricken region to enter peace talks to help bring an end to the crisis.

At Commons question time, he also revealed that the Chinese government has been asked to intervene.

Millions of people have been displaced and thousands killed after violence erupted in the region in 2003.

There has been tension between the mostly African farmers and the mostly Arab herders who have competed for land in the region.

Mr Brown said: "There are four million people in famine or dependent on food aid. There are two million people who have been displaced and 400,000 people have died.

"This is a humanitarian tragedy of colossal proportions where the world must act."

Mr Brown added: "We must strengthen sanctions against the Sudanese government.

We should have military sanctions for the whole of Sudan."

He also called for the UN peace-keeping force to be put in place as soon as possible.

"I believe most of all we must get people to the peace table and that's why it's important that not only do the government of Sudan come to the peace talks, it's also important that the rebel groups join the peace talks, which they haven't done before."

Opposition groups in Darfur have claimed that the government neglects their region and discriminates against black Africans. The conflict originated in 2003 when rebel groups began attacking government targets.

As a result of the attacks, the government launched a military and police campaign in Darfur. People have spoken of government aircraft bombing villages, after which the Arab janjaweed militia would ride in to carry out further attacks.

Tory leader David Cameron called for a no-fly zone to be set up across the region.

He said: "Anyone who's been to Darfur will talk to people in the refugee camps who say, it wasn't just the janjaweed militia, it was the Sudanese Army that drove me out my village, they were coming out of Sudanese aircraft'."

Mr Cameron added: "The no-fly zone is vital."

Mr Brown said: "The most important thing is to get people to peace talks. That's the only way that this will be brought to a conclusion.

"As far as the no-fly zone is concerned, I have looked at this issue.

"I would like to move ahead if it were at all possible but we've got to accept that the area it would have to police is the geographical size of France.

"It would need large numbers of aeroplanes to be able to do so and the more important thing at the moment is to get a ceasefire, to stop the aerial bombing of civilians as a result of that."