A/HRC/9/13 page 12 IV. DARFUR 42. The Government has taken some initial steps to implement the recommendations of the group of experts on Darfur and address human rights concerns. The Swiss Government generously donated funds to assist the Government in this endeavour; on 1 July in El Fasher there was a public launch of the Swiss technical cooperation project to support implementation of the recommendations. Examples of steps taken by the Government include the increased number of police - including several dozen police women - that have been deployed to Darfur, and the activities of the State committees against sexual and gender-based violence. Also, the indictment, prosecution and sentencing of several regular forces personnel accused and found guilty of rape sends an important signal to perpetrators and communities. The Government’s progress reports, as well as updates from the ground on the status of implementation of the recommendations of the group of experts are documented in detail in the addendum to this report. 43. Fighting involving Government of Sudan forces, signatories and non-signatories to the 2006 Darfur Peace Agreement, and other armed groups has resulted in civilian casualties, widespread destruction of civilian property, including homes and markets, loss of livelihood and mass displacement of affected communities. In addition, increasing insecurity negatively impacts on humanitarian space and the security of the civilian population. Violence and sexual abuse of women and children by State, non-State and private actors, such as criminal groups and bandits, also continue almost unabated throughout Darfur. A culture of impunity is prevalent: the State fails to investigate, punish and prosecute perpetrators of human rights violations. 44. Although violations of the Darfur Peace Agreement occur frequently and are committed by all parties to the conflict, the Ceasefire Commission continues to be unable to investigate and monitor incidents on a formal basis as the Joint Commission still has not met to agree a new structure for the Ceasefire Commission. The continued failure of parties to the conflict to protect the civilian population from the fighting, distinguish between combatants and civilians, and utilize only proportionate force during clashes and military operations remains a critical issue. 45. There are several reports of air attacks by Government forces, leading to extensive civilian casualties. These include attacks on civilians in Saraf Jidad, Sirba, Silea and Abu Suruj in West Darfur in January and February 2008,10 the bombing of a number of villages in North Darfur such as the air attacks on Helif village on 29 April or on Ein Bissar and Shegeg Karo villages on 4 May 2008. In May alone such air strikes reportedly caused the death of 19 civilians and injury of another 30, including women and young children. Objects indispensable to the survival of communities were also destroyed during the attacks. The majority of the bombs apparently impacted on civilian populated areas, including detonations in the vicinity of water installations, a school and a market. The available information suggests that the bombing of these villages was indiscriminate, and the impact on civilian communities was disproportionate to any military advantage likely to be gained as a result of the air strikes. 10 For details see the ninth periodic report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the human rights situation in the Sudan, 20 March 2008 available at http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Countries/AfricaRegion/Pages/SDPeriodicReports.aspx.