UNITED NATIONS, May 18 (UPI) -- The U.N. Security Council passed a resolution for a security force in the disputed Sudanese region of Abyei for six months amid simmering regional tensions.
In a unanimous vote, the Security Council, through Resolution 2047, called on South Sudan and Sudan to "demilitarize the disputed Abyei region and resolve a deadlock in putting in place previously agreed administrative arrangements."
The resolution also extends the mandate for an interim security force for six months. The interim force for Abyei confirmed this week that South Sudan pulled out of Abyei.
"It is vital that this now be reciprocated by withdrawal of all Sudanese armed forces personnel from Abyei," British Minister for African Henry Bellingham said in a statement this week. "I urge the government of Sudan to carry out its obligation to do so immediately."
A 2005 peace deal paved the way to South Sudan's declaration of independence in July. The agreement ended a bloody civil war, though unresolved issues like border demarcation and disputes over oil threaten the deal.
Khartoum said it would pull out once an administrative body was agreed to by South Sudan.
