A/HRC/7/22 page 11 including civilians. In West Darfur, several sources, including the police, reported having witnessed aerial bombings by Government Antonov planes in an area south-east of Kulbus, on 4 and 5 December 2007. On 8 December, there were further aerial bombardments in Jebel Moon. 41. Civilians, particularly internally displaced persons, continued to be exposed to violence and abuses either from deliberate attacks from the Government-supported militia or some of the rebel groups, or as a result of being caught in the middle of clashes between warring factions. A number of militia attacks involving physical assaults, harassment, intimidation and sometimes abductions underscore the failure of the Government to protect civilians. On 8 October, a joint attack on Muhajiriya by allied Government forces and militia was reported; people praying in a mosque were rounded up and 48 civilians reportedly killed. People fleeing attacks on Um Dukhun, on 23 November, and on Umdarota, on 24 November, in South Darfur, described large groups of militia in Government-style uniforms entering their villages, shooting randomly, stealing animals and setting fire to households. 42. On 2 December, in West Darfur, armed men attacked three female internally displaced persons from Dorti camp while they were asleep in their home in Um Sebeikha. In another incident, a group of 10 women and girls, aged between 11 and 35, were attacked and held for more than two hours in the Turab el-Ahmar area, three kilometres west of Riyadh camp. A 16-year-old girl from the group was gang raped and at least three other women were whipped and beaten with axes. Two women managed to escape and reported the incident to Riyadh police. Although the community reportedly requested the police and a group of soldiers at a nearby checkpoint to rescue the women, they refused to proceed to the scene of the incident. 43. The proliferation of weapons, the presence of armed elements inside camps and the widening divisions along tribal affiliations adds to the insecurity felt by internally displaced persons in Darfur. In North Darfur, the Abou Shouk camp for internally displaced persons continues to be the stage of frequent shooting incidents. 44. People also continue to be arbitrarily arrested, held for prolonged periods without being informed of the reason for arrest or brought promptly before a judicial authority. In some instances, they have been subjected to torture and ill-treatment and denied access to counsel. Government security agencies, in particular NISS, and Government proxy groups continued to arbitrarily detain and often mistreat civilians who are perceived to be aligned with opposing rebel groups. 45. Between 27 November and 3 December, in West Darfur, at least five people from Kulbus were reportedly detained and ill-treated by NISS, on the suspicion of supporting Ibrahim Abaker Hashim’s group. Similarly, in South Darfur, arbitrary arrests were perpetrated by militia belonging to the Gimir faction and directed at Massalit men, some of whom were suspected of supporting a rebel group in Umbreida. The detention followed attacks by Gimir militias and Government forces on Umbreida in May 2007. After the attacks, most of the population fled to Antikaina; reports were received of Gimir militias preventing people from leaving the village and forcing them to cultivate the land. In November, a Massalit man reportedly tried to escape, but was captured by Gimir men. The man was tied to a tree, whipped, and also had finger nails pulled out. He allegedly tried to report the incident in Antikaina, but the police refused to accept his complaint.