Clashes between rival Arab tribes have claimed 107 lives since March in Darfur, the UN peacekeeping mission in Sudan said, warning of a buildup of government and rebel troops in the region.

"The security situation in North Darfur is tense following reports of an increase in the presence of government troops and Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) forces in the Shangil Tobaya region," UNAMID said in a statement late Tuesday.

UNAMID, the joint UN-African Union peacekeeping force, said fighting between the Misseriya and Rizeigat Nawaiba tribes broke out in early March near Nertiti in West Darfur and calmed briefly after a peace accord was signed on March 28.

But fighting resumed on May 4, it said, adding: "It is estimated that since March, the clashes have claimed the lives of 107 people on both sides and have caused many more to flee their homes."

According to the United Nations, 300,000 people have died and more than 2.2 million have fled their homes since rebels in Darfur rose up against the Khartoum government, which was aided by local Arab militias, in February 2003. The Sudan government puts the death toll at 10,000.

Several locals have reported an increase of government troops around El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state, after deadly clashes this month over a fraudulent pyramid scheme in which up to 10 people were reportedly killed.

The fraud is estimated at 25 million dollars, according to the authorities, but investors say they were swindled out of a total of about 100 million dollars, a large sum in a region so poor.

Justice Minister Abdel Bassit Sabdarat said the scheme, which led some to sell land to invest quickly, was set up by two regional councilmen from Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir's party. The Ponzi scheme began in early 2009, but the bubble burst only recently.

(Source: AFP)