Deal brokered for Sudan's Abyei region

Sept. 12, 2011

UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 12 (UPI) -- U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he was thankful to African Union leaders who helped broker a settlement in Sudan's disputed area of Abyei.

Leaders from Sudan and South Sudan met with delegates from the African Union. A panel led by former South African President Thabo Mbeki helped convince the countries to pull forces out of the disputed area of Abyei.

Ban, in a statement released through his spokesman's office, said he welcomed the African Union's leadership in "helping the parties adopt modalities" for a troop withdrawal.

South Sudan became an independent state July 9 as part of a 2005 peace deal that ended one of the bloodiest civil wars in modern history. Abyei lies at the heart of border issues threatening to unravel the peace deal.

The United Nations in July sent peacekeepers to Abyei and rights groups have called for similar action in South Kordofan, the site of alleged ethnic killings along the border of Sudan and South Sudan.

Conflict has spread to Blue Nile state along the border between Sudan and South Sudan. Sudan, through its official news agency, has repeatedly brushed off allegations regarding the severity of the violence.

Source: United Press International (UPI).
Link: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/Special/2011/09/12/Deal-brokered-for-Sudans-Abyei-region/UPI-77381315840580/.