North and south Sudan agree on demilitarised zone

LEADERS from north and south Sudan signed an agreement yesterday to demilitarise the disputed central region of Abyei and allow an Ethiopian peacekeeping force to move in, said a former South African president who is helping lead peace talks.

Thabo Mbeki said yesterday's deal provides for the full demilitarisation of Abyei, a fertile land near major oil fields that both north and south claim as their own. Troops from northern Sudan moved into the region last month, action that sent tens of thousands of people who are aligned with the south fleeing.

"The Sudan Armed Forces will pull out and will be deployed outside Abyei," said Mr Mbeki, who helped lead the talks in neighbouring Ethiopia.

The agreement comes three weeks before the south secedes to create the world's newest country. Violence has broken out along the border in the run-up to the south's independence.