Originally posted by the Voice of America. Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America, a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in the public domain. UN: Aid Officials Expelled in West Darfur 16 August 2010 United Nations officials say several top U.N. and Red Cross aid workers in Sudan's war-torn Darfur region have been expelled. The officials said Monday that authorities in West Darfur have asked the local head of the U.N. Food and Agricultural Organization and two top officials with the U.N. refugee agency to leave the state. It was not clear why the aid workers were expelled. The U.N. also said the top delegates of the International Committee of the Red Cross were asked to leave two West Darfur towns, El-Geneina and Zalingei. However, the ICRC said it recalled the two workers to Khartoum, following "confusion" with authorities over a trip into the field. The organization did not offer more details. According to the French news agency AFP, Sudan's national government says the expulsions were ordered at the local level. Government officials say they are now discussing the matter with the state officials. Peacekeepers and foreign aid workers have faced increased hostility in Darfur since last year, when the International Criminal Court indicted Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir for alleged war crimes. Tensions have grown in recent weeks over the status of six leaders of a camp for internally displaced people. Sudan blames the camp leaders for violence at the camp in southern Darfur that killed at least six people.  The camp leaders sought refuge with the joint U.N.-African Union peacekeepers during the violence, and now Sudan is demanding that U.N. hand them over. The U.N. says it cannot do so unless the government shows proof of criminal charges and can assure a fair trial. The United Nations says the seven-year conflict in Darfur has killed as many as 300,000 people and displaced 2.7 million. Sudan's government says around 10,000 people have died. Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters. .