NAIROBI, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- Escalating violence in Darfur has killed more aid workers in the last two weeks than in the past two years and is now seriously jeopardizing relief operations in the area, according to the United Nations.

    Eight aid workers died last month as fighting among Sudanese factions increased, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in a statement received here on Tuesday.

    Concern for aid worker safety has forced humanitarian groups to reduce their presence in strife-torn Darfur homeless camps to its lowest level since the civil war escalated in 2003, OCHA said.

    According to UN officials, humanitarian access is at its lowest level since the Darfur operation began and operational risks for aid workers are increasing by the day.

    "A total of eight humanitarian workers died while on duty in July. At the same time, the violence is also impacting on local populations, deepening the humanitarian crisis," it said.

    There has also been an increase in ambushes and hijackings of vehicles belonging to non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

    These include vehicles stolen during food distributions, theft from NGO compounds and even an attack on an ambulance.

    "The level of violence being faced by humanitarian workers in Darfur is unprecedented. Many of the attacks happened while workers were helping suffering populations," said Manuel da Silva, Humanitarian Co-ordinator and Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General for Sudan.

    "This is completely unacceptable. All sides must respect the neutrality of humanitarian workers. If this situation continues, we risk losing all that we have gained over the past year," da Silva added. Enditem