The head of the UN peacekeeping mission tasked with verifying withdrawals from the buffer zone between Sudan and South Sudan said that troops have withdrawn from at least eight bases within the disputed corridor.

The Head of Mission of the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) reported to the Joint Political and Security Mechanism during its extraordinary meeting in Addis Ababa on Monday.

He said that “UNISFA carried out verification of four locations from the South Sudanese redeployment plan by means of joint helicopter patrols consisting of teams of UN, Sudanese and South Sudanese monitors.”

These patrols witnessed “no military activity” at Tishwin, Kiir Adem, Wunthou or Sere Malaga.

On the Sudanese side, similar verification patrols found that “no military activity could be seen” at Al Falah, al-Radom, al-Kwek, and Kilo 4. The report added the caveat that Sudanese military are still alleged by South Sudan to be present at Radom, Kafindibi and Tashwin.

The Force Commander cautioned that “until ground verification is carried out, no definite findings can be reached about redeployment of forces from both sides.  Ground based patrols can be undertaken once the requested force protection by UNISFA is authorized by the UN Security Council.”

On the ‘Mile 14’ area between Bahr al Ghazal and Darfur, the commander reported that it found the presence of three pickups and unidentified troops in Al Garif during a helicopter patrol 21 April, but not at other locations where there had allegedly been southern troops including Samaha, Malikmair, and Rahdangate.

A special ad hoc committee for this particular area will be formed comprising national monitors as well as Rizeigat and Dinka Malual tribal leaders.  The terms of reference for the committee have been finalized but it has not yet commenced its work.

UNISFA is proceeding to establish a headquarters for the Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mechanism at Kadugli in southern Kordofan, and another sector headquarters at Gok Machar in the Bahr al Ghazal. Monitors from both countries have deployed to these locations.

According to the matrix agreement signed 8 March, which put in place a new timetable for withdrawal, forces of both sides were supposed to withdraw from a designated buffer zone by 17 March, with the exception of the Mile 14 area where the deadline was 24 March.