(Xinhua) -- Sudanese government said Saturday it was committed to protect Darfur Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who desire to return to their home areas and provide them with necessary services.

"Our strategy stands on supporting voluntary return of the IDPs. The government is committed to protect them and provide them with necessary services," Hassabo Mohamed Abdul-Rahman, the Sudanese humanitarian aid commissioner, told reporters following a meeting of a joint mechanism of the Sudanese government, the UN agencies and some donor countries.

"IDPs return is voluntary, and therefore we will support anyone who desires to return and for those who like to remain in towns, the government is committed to grant them housing lands in any of Darfur towns," he added.

He said the South Darfur state was planning to distribute 8,000pieces of lands for the state's IDPs, while North Darfur state would distribute 6,000 housing lands and the similar number by West Darfur state for the IDPs who want to settle in the big towns of the region.

The Sudanese official, meanwhile, stressed improvement of security and humanitarian situations in the region, saying "peace opportunities are high in Darfur after the decrease in the military operations and after the tribal reconciliations reached there."

He said that around 2.25 million IDPs have returned to their home areas in 650 model villages due to improvement of conditions in the region and that the government has established about 145 villages to receive the returnees.

The joint mechanism, which brings together the Sudanese government, UN agencies and some donors, held a meeting in Khartoum Saturday to evaluate the voluntary return of the Darfur IDPs and how to provide humanitarian assistance for the returnees.