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North and South Sudan agree over disputed zone
Ten days after the north seized the disputed Abyei region, representatives from north and south Sudan have agreed to set up a demilitarized zone along their shared border.
This was made known by the African Union (AU) on Tuesday.
As South Sudan prepares to become an independent country in less than six weeks, the two sides have not settled the issues of position of the common border and sharing oil proceeds.
The north had on May 21, sent tanks and troops into Abyei and has since defied calls from the United Nations, United States and south Sudanese officials to withdraw, saying the land belongs to the north.
The meeting
Ahead of the split, the northern and southern officials met this week in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa to discuss Abyei and other issues.
The AU said the two sides agreed to establish a joint body headed by their ministers of defence, chiefs of staff, heads of intelligence and police and other officials.
"The agreement ... establishes a common border zone between North and South Sudan, which is to be demilitarised and jointly monitored and patrolled," the statement said.
Humanitarian crisis alarm
International organisations have warned of a humanitarian crisis in the central region after widespread looting and burning broke out and tens of thousands of residents fled on foot down roads turned to mud in seasonal rains.
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) spokesman, Adrian Edwards said a field visit found Abyei town "virtually emptied" of its estimated population of 50,000 to 55,000.
According to Edwards, Sporadic shooting could be heard as late as Monday.
"Large numbers of fighters were present on the streets. Pilfering was openly going on, with people apparently organising batches of stolen belongings," he said.
The committee
South Sudan's Vice President, Riek Machar said on Monday that the two sides would form a committee to resolve the dispute.
The South’s president, Salva Kiir, said last week that there would be no war over the northern occupation and that it would not derail independence.
Report said South Sudan faces a host of other challenges as it heads toward secession, including internal rebel movements, a serious lack of infrastructure and widespread illiteracy.
REUTERS/Shakira
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