Sudanese authorities were late today blocking access to the UN-backed Miraya FM radio's website, an official with the station said.

"The Internet site has been jammed since the end of the afternoon. We don't know why," the official said, asking not to be named.

The information ministry in Khartoum and telecommunications officials were unavailable to comment on the move denying access to the website, www.mirayafm.org.

Earlier today, the radio station's Arabic website published a statement from the most heavily-armed rebel group in Darfur, western Sudan, playing down defections from its ranks.

In August, the BBC said its Arabic services had been taken off FM radio in north Sudan.

Launched in June 2006, Miraya FM broadcasts in English and Arabic, operating as a partnership between the joint United Nations-African Union peacekeeping mission UNAMID and a Switzerland-based independent organisation, the Hirondelle Foundation.