U.N. estimates Darfur death toll at 300,000

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - An estimated 300,000 people mayhave died in the 5-year conflict in Darfur, a dramatic increaseover earlier estimates of 200,000, a top U.N. official said onTuesday.

Sudan's U.N. ambassador Abdalmahmoud Abdalhaleem said thefigure was grossly exaggerated.

U.N. under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs JohnHolmes mentioned the new estimate in a speech at a U.N.Security Council meeting on the conflict in the westernSudanese region.

"A study in 2006 suggested that 200,000 had lost theirlives from the combined effects of the conflict. That figuremust be much higher now, perhaps half as much again," Holmessaid, according to a written text of his remarks.

Abdalhaleem said Khartoum put the death toll at 10,000,slightly above the government's previous estimate of 9,000.

"These remarks by Holmes are not helpful, are not correct,are not credible," he told Reuters. "He should tell us who madethat study, who commissioned it and how was it done."

Holmes gave no details on where his estimate comes from.

International experts also say over 2 million have beendriven from their homes by the Darfur conflict.

(Editing by Alan Elsner)