WASHINGTON, March 28 (Xinhuanet) -- The United States said on Monday that it is doubtful about reports that Sudanese authoritieshad begun detaining security officials and other people for alleged crimes in the war-ravaged Darfur region.

    Deputy State Department spokesman Adam Ereli said that Khartoum had been asked previously to rein in its militia allies and stop the bloodshed in Darfur, but "In the past, nothing has been done to hold anyone accountable."

    "Our view is that if you want to have real accountability for the crimes that have been committed in Darfur, there has to be an international mechanism for that.

    "Based on their past performance, one cannot expect the government of Sudan to fulfill that responsibility," Ereli said.

    Ereli made his remarks after Sudanese authorities said they had arrested 14 people in Darfur on charges including rape and murder.

    Khartoum will take 164 suspects to court, 150 of the cases involved offenses in North Darfur and the rest 14 accusations were from South Darfur, official Sudanese media said Sunday.

    Washington has been advocating to set up a tribunal in Tanzaniato prosecute alleged war crimes cases stemming from the Darfur conflict that has claimed at least 180,000 lives in the last two years.

    It has opposed a move by France and other countries to bring the cases before the International Criminal Court in The Hague which Washington refuses to recognize. Enditem