CAIRO, Egypt - The United Nations evacuated 71 aid workers from the largest refugee camp in Darfur Tuesday after gunmen looted their compounds, leaving some 130,000 refugees virtually without humanitarian help.

United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan(C) bids farewell to members of the media after his last scheduled press conference. Annan used his last press conference to defend his 10-year stewardship of the United Nations and to make one last push to end the tragedy in Sudan's Darfur region. [AFP]

It was the largest single instance of an aid worker evacuation since the UN launched its large-scale humanitarian campaign in Darfur in 2004. Over the past year, worsening violence in the war-ravaged region in western Sudan has made delivering vital aid to hundreds of thousands of residents difficult to impossible.

More than 20 gunmen raided several humanitarian compounds in the South Darfur refugee camp of Gereida late Monday, harassing staff and stealing vehicles, communication equipment and money, the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said in a statement.

Though no aid workers were hurt in the attacks, the situation was considered too unsafe and the UN said it airlifted the 71 out on Tuesday.

The UN said it was the eighth evacuation of endangered aid workers it has had to carry out so far this month in Darfur.

"More than 400 (workers) have been evacuated this month, the situation is getting worse and worse," OCHA spokeswoman Dawn Blalock said by telephone from Sudan.

A handful of aid workers chose to remain in Gereida, but the "the vast majority" left the camp, Darfur's largest with some 130,000 refugees, she said.

The attacks were "preventing humanitarian organizations from providing life-saving assistance" to refugees, UN humanitarian coordinator Manuel Aranda da Silva said in the statement.

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