North-South tensions fl and West Darfur situation remained precarious, despite 13 March peace agreement with Chad. Up to 70 killed in 1 March clash between southern army (SPLA) and Misseriya in contested Abyei border region; SPLA accused Khartoum of backing Misseriya. Fresh clashes reported 16, 20 March; hundreds displaced. Darfur peace process further faltered as Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) rebels 16 March requested 1-on-1 peace talks with government, in snub to other Darfur rebel factions, though later backed down. JEM reported countering major army assault 18 March in West Darfur; UN humanitarian chief in Sudan Ameerah Haq 3 March accused group of blocking access to some 20,000 trapped by fighting. 20 March UN report called army’s destruction of villages during deadly Feb Darfur attacks “deliberate” military strategy; army denied. UN Darfur envoy Jan Eliasson and AU counterpart Salim Salim urged donor nations 18 March to rapidly deploy peacekeepers to region. EU peacekeeping force in Chad (EUFOR) soldier reportedly killed 3 March at army checkpoint as soldiers accidentally crossed into Sudan; Khartoum demanded $40,000 compensation for 4 nomads alleged killed by grenade while moving soldier’s body. 20 south Sudanese reported killed by Ugandan gunmen early March. 3 drivers of WFP-contracted trucks killed in 2 incidents in southern Sudan, 22, 24 March; 4 water engineers working for UNICEF counterpart abducted in north Darfur 20 March.