Bandits shoot aid worker dead in Darfur

KHARTOUM, July 13 (Reuters) Bandits shot dead an aid worker in north Darfur, a relief agency said, highlighting the difficulty of conducting the world's largest aid operation in the midst of one of its worst humanitarian crises.

In a statement late yesterday, Relief International said armed robbers stopped Sudanese agricultural officer Hassan Ahmad Idris' vehicle, then shot him. He died instantly. Idris' driver survived the attack.

''Hassan Idris was a dedicated humanitarian and a hardworking staff member who was greatly loved and respected by all his colleagues,'' Relief International chief Farshad Rastegar said in a statement.

Aid workers in Darfur and the surrounding regions of Chad and the Central African republic have faced increasing violence including carjackings and armed attacks, prompting the United Nations to consider withdrawing its aid workers.

Around 14,000 aid workers are trying to help more than 3 million people suffering from a three-year-old conflict that has killed tens of thousands and left many living in squalid camps.

REUTERS KD VC2245