Hunger in Southern Sudan

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Clashes erupted in Abyei between north and south Sudanese troops, the southern army said, just days after a deal to demilitarise the disputed area, and as Khartoum stepped up air strikes in neighbouring South Kordofan.Members of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF -- northern army) exchanged fire with the Sudan People's Liberation Army at the Kiir, or Bahr al-Arab, river, the southern army's spokesman told AFP, without providing details of casualties.

The top UN official in south Sudan warned on Friday that the impoverished region faced a major food crisis that could lead to "free fall," with half of its residents relying on aid this year."We have a very general problem of food insecurity across all of southern Sudan," Lisa Grande, the UN Deputy Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Juba, south Sudan, told AFP."We are looking at a situation where 4.3 million people require some forms of food assistance during the year," she said.

The number of hungry people in southern Sudan has quadrupled since last August to some 4.3 million because of conflict and drought, the UN emergency food agency said Tuesday.Across the country some 11 million people will need food aid this year, the Rome-based World Food Programme said in a statement, adding that it has a shortfall of 485 million dollars (350 million euros) in its programme there.

Sudan's north-south leaders on Sunday said they have reached a deal on disputed democratic reforms ahead of next year's elections and a southern referendum on independence."We announce an agreement between the two partners on all points, which had been a source of disagreement on the referendum law in south Sudan," said Nafie Ali Nafie, deputy head of Khartoum's ruling National Congress Party.

Sudan's north-south leaders on Sunday said they have reached a deal on disputed democratic reforms ahead of next year's elections and a southern referendum on independence."We announce an agreement between the two partners on all points, which had been a source of disagreement on the referendum law in south Sudan," said Nafie Ali Nafie, deputy head of Khartoum's ruling National Congress Party.