Khartoum, Sudan ? Sudan’s president announced Sunday that visiting American officials would be barred from traveling more than 15 miles from the presidential palace in the capital Khartoum without a special permit.

President Omar al-Bashir, just back from the U.N. General Assembly in New York, said the new limits were in response to what he said was unfair scrutiny of Sudanese officials by U.S. Homeland Security during the U.S. visit.

“The measure is effective as of Monday,” al-Bashir said.

Meanwhile, the African Union said Sunday it will send more peacekeeping troops to Sudan’s Darfur region and toughen the soldiers’ role in protecting civilians while the international community pressures the Sudanese government to allow a U.N. military force.

The underfunded and ill-equipped AU force has had little success in halting ethnic fighting that has killed at least 200,000 people and chased 2.5 million from their homes since 2003.