The Sudanese military told sources that it bombed three towns in West Darfur while striking at rebel forces on Friday as senior U.N. officials warned that security was deteriorating moving in Sudan’s vast western region. The U.N. officials told the sources that intensified fighting has worsened the plight of civilians & is hurting chances for a political settlement in the five-year conflict. Darfur rebels denied any of their fighters were in the towns attacked by the government and said some 200 people were killed. They said helicopter gunships & fixed-wing aircraft battered Sirba, Sileia & Abu Suruj, setting buildings on fire & causing thousands to flee.