By Opheera McDoom

KHARTOUM, Sept 12 (Reuters) - Sudan's government is bombing civilians in Darfur in an operation reminiscent of the early stages of a conflict that has killed tens of thousands since 2003, the European Union's special envoy said on Tuesday.

Pekka Haavisto said after a three-day visit to the region that he had witnessed Antonov planes loading up in Darfur in preparation for an attack. He had also seen children as young as three years old injured by bombings.

"The messages we are getting ... are very clear -- there are attacks which are affecting civilians, bombing of villages in which there are civilians," he told reporters in Khartoum.

"I could see Antonovs loading to attack," he said. "This reminds me very much of the early 2003 pictures of Darfur," he added.

Tens of thousands have been killed and 2.5 million forced from their homes since mostly non-Arab rebels took up arms in the western region in early 2003. Washington calls the rape, murder and pillage in Darfur genocide, a charge Khartoum denies.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) is investigating alleged war crimes in the region. Haavisto said the EU supported those efforts.

Sudan's government rejects a U.N. Security Council resolution to deploy more than 20,000 U.N. peacekeeping troops in Darfur, and many say Khartoum's confrontation with the world body is because it fears ICC prosecution.

Cash-strapped African Union troops have so far failed to stem the violence in Darfur, which has only escalated since an AU-brokered peace deal was signed with one rebel faction in May.

The government's latest offensive is targeting the non-signatories of the deal, whom Khartoum calls 'terrorists'.

Haavisto declined to say if any action would be taken against Sudan's government for its defiance over resolution 1706 passed on Aug. 31.

He said dialogue would continue with the government. But with the AU mandate expiring on Sept. 30, there is little time left for talks.

"In Darfur, in many ways, we are in free fall," said U.N. humanitarian chief Jan Egeland in Nairobi.

"Mass murder, war crimes, crimes against humanity, ethnic cleansing -- that's very visible on the ground," he added.

A dozen aid workers have been killed since May in the world's largest humanitarian operation in Darfur. More than 14,000 aid workers try to feed and shelter more than 3 million war victims.

(Additional reporting by Katie Nguyen in Nairobi)

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