The United Nations Security Council has approved 10,000 UN peacekeepers for Sudan to help monitor a January accord that ended a 21-year civil war in Africa's largest nation.
The move comes after two months of diplomatic wrangling over how to handle a separate crisis in Sudan's troubled western Darfur region, amid fears the ongoing violence there could derail the north-south peace agreement.
With the 15-nation council at odds over how to try potential Darfur war crimes suspects and over a US proposal for sanctions, the council voted only to establish the peacekeeping force.
Addressing the council after the vote, the head of UN peacekeeping operations, Jean-Marie Guehenno, welcomed the adoption of the resolution.
But he warned of "serious political hurdles" and "unprecedented logistical obstacles" still confronting the peace process in Sudan.
"The violence and destruction must stop," Mr Guehenno said.
"Impunity must end. If security does not improve quickly, the killings and rapes will continue.
"We must not allow allow this catastrophic scenario to become a foregone conclusion."
- AFP
United Nations flagThe United Nations  approved the deployment of 10,000 peacekeeping troops and 715 civilian police to southern Sudan. They will monitor a peace plan that ended the country's 21 year long .

The peacekeeping force will enforce a ceasefire agreement between Sudan's  government and the .

Jean-Marie Guehenno, head of UN peacekeeping operations, welcomed the Security Council's unanimous support of the resolution, but warned of "serious political hurdles" and "unprecedented logistical obstacles".

"If security does not improve quickly, the killings and rapes will continue. We must not allow allow this catastrophic scenario to become a foregone conclusion," he said.