North, South Sudan Agree to Abyei Withdrawal

The Associated Press reports:

Former South African President Thabo Mbeki says leaders from north and south Sudan have agreed to withdraw their troops from the contested region of Abyei and allow Ethiopian peacekeepers to move in.

The agreement comes three weeks before the south is set to secede from the north. Heavy violence has broken out along the north-south border in the run-up to the south's independence declaration, tens of thousands of people fled Abyei after northern troops moved in last month.

Mbeki has been leading talks on the issue in neighboring Ethiopia. He announced Monday that an agreement had been reached. When the troops withdraw depends on the mandate given to the Ethiopian peacekeepers by the U.N. Security Council.