Annan concerned by Sudan fighting

United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan is "deeply concerned" by reports of fighting between Sudanese government forces and the rebel Sudan People's Liberation Army in southern Sudan.

A statement issued by the Office of the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan yesterday said that the reports of fighting in the Bahr El-Ghazal region bring up concerns, especially about humanitarian operations underway in the area.

"United Nations agencies and non-governmental organizations have continued to assist thousands of victims of severe famine in southern Sudan thanks to a humanitarian ceasefire in Bahr-el-Gazal agreed to by both the Government and the Sudanese People's Liberation Movement/Army," the statement said, adding that Annan called on both sides to respect the ceasefire and enable the delivery of humanitarian aid to the people of the region, which it described as "extremely vulnerable."

The secretary general's deputy spokesman, Manoel de Almeida e Silva, said yesterday that World Food Program teams had heard bombs fall on Bahr El-Ghazal, adding that the teams are working in Akuem, Nyamlell and Gok Machar.

He added that the teams said they saw aircraft flying overhead and heard bombs fall, which were thought to have landed outside the village of Nyamlell. The WFP is providing food aid to 32,000 people in the village, the deputy spokesman said.

He added that the reports yesterday followed the bombing on Sunday of Arak, in which WFP workers are carrying out relief efforts.