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UN approves ‘final’ extension of Abyei peace mission
UNITED NATIONS, United States, Oct 12, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – The UN Security
Council on Thursday approved a final extension of its peacekeeping mission in
the disputed Abyei region between Sudan and South Sudan — unless the two
sides make progress on border demarcation and other benchmarks.
In its unanimous decision, the Security Council extended for six months the
United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei but said “this shall be the
final such extension unless the parties take the specific measures.”
It repeated a previous warning that the situation in Abyei and along the
Sudan-South Sudan border “continues to constitute a serious threat to
international peace,” and called on the two countries to show concrete
progress on border demarcation and monitoring, as well as other benchmarks.
Abyei is an area of about 4,000 square miles (10,500 square kilometers)
contested since Sudan split into two countries in 2011.
There have been tensions between the Arab Misseriya and Ngok Dinka peoples
of the region.
Sudan and South Sudan years ago agreed to take steps for setting up an
administrative structure for Abyei but the Security Council in May, when it
last renewed UNISFA’s mandate, expressed disappointment that “few steps” had
been taken in that direction.
In November 2015, shelling in Abyei killed a four-year-old girl and a
UNISFA peacekeeper.
Almost the entire UNISFA contingent of several thousand troops comes from
Ethiopia.
BSS/AFP/MRI/0851 HRS