Khartoum permits limited aids to the South

Spokesman for Lifeline Sudan, Julian Wilcox, said on Thursday that the Sudanese government has permitted humanitarian aid flights to arrive only at six sites in the Bahr al-Gazelle (Gazelle Sea) province in southern Sudan. The flights will also be allowed once again to Akwim, Adit, and Bakour where starvation threatens 60,000 persons as well as to Wau and Orwell.

UN organizations, and non-governmental organizations working in south Sudan are taking part in these operations. The spokesman added, "We continue negotiations to expand the range of our activity."

Meanwhile, the UN World Food program said it has succeeded in dispatching urgent shipments of foodstuffs to evacuees in the Gazelle Sea district. The first caravan carrying 120 tons of foodstuffs was dispatched by the program to northern Gazelle Sea last Sunday from Uganda after spending three weeks on the 900 km long road. This shipment will meet the needs of 51,000 persons for six days.