OLS warns thousands of children at risk

Operation Lifeline Sudan has warned that the failure of the Sudanese government and rebel SPLA to agree on extending the humanitarian ceasefire in southern Bahr al Ghazal state or extend it to other parts of the country "threatened to imperil the lives of hundreds of thousands of children". In a statement issued on Friday, OLS also expressed fear that renewed fighting could trigger "massive displacement" in region already weakened by the 1998 famine. It said the people of Bahr al Ghazal had just resumed planting crops and rebuilding livestock herds. "Renewed insecurity in the region threatens to set back progress made to provide vital medicines, food and water to the most vulnerable," OLS said. It therefore urged the conflicting sides to allow humanitarian agencies "free and unimpeded access to all civilians in need".