North and South Sudan Agree on Demilitarized Zone

North and south Sudan on Wednesday agreed to create a demilitarized zone along the border just a week before the country is to split up.

Over the past month, north Sudanese forces have occupied Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile states, prompting tens of thousands to flee, as both sides have claimed ownership of the border region.

The agreement was signed in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa to form a joint committee to address issues related to Kordofan and Blue Nile.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon commended the accord via a statement, which called on both “parties to ensure the protection of vulnerable civilians and full humanitarian access to those in need in South Kordofan.”

On Monday, the U.N. voted to send more than 4,000 Ethiopian troops to the disputed region to ensure that north Sudan withdraws its forces.

Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Kyung-wha Kang surveyed the Abyei region near the disputed border area. “The utter devastation I saw in Abyei was a chilling warning of what might become of the border area,” she said Monday.

The deal comes as another U.N. official told Reuters that more than 1,400 civilians have been killed in Southern Sudan this year.