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| Sudan 'allows aid agencies back' | Sudan 'allows aid agencies back' |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Sudan has authorised four aid agencies expelled from the country in March to return to troubled Darfur, says the UN's humanitarian chief John Holmes. | Sudan has authorised four aid agencies expelled from the country in March to return to troubled Darfur, says the UN's humanitarian chief John Holmes. |
| The four groups - named as Care International, Save the Children, Mercy Corps, and Padco - were among 13 organisations expelled in March. | The four groups - named as Care International, Save the Children, Mercy Corps, and Padco - were among 13 organisations expelled in March. |
| Mr Holmes said all the groups had the opportunity to seek readmission. | |
| About 300,000 people have died and two million been displaced in the six-year conflict in Darfur, the UN estimates. | About 300,000 people have died and two million been displaced in the six-year conflict in Darfur, the UN estimates. |
| 'Spying' allegations | 'Spying' allegations |
| Mr Holmes said Sudan had agreed to allow NGOs to go back to Darfur provided they registered under slightly changed names and logos. | |
| "That possibility is there for all the organisations which were expelled and some of them already have taken advantage of it. They now got very recently new registrations and will be restarting their operations," he said. | "That possibility is there for all the organisations which were expelled and some of them already have taken advantage of it. They now got very recently new registrations and will be restarting their operations," he said. |
| The Sudanese government expelled the aid groups in March, following the announcement that President Omar al-Bashir was being indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes. | The Sudanese government expelled the aid groups in March, following the announcement that President Omar al-Bashir was being indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes. |
| The aid groups were accused of spying for the ICC. | The aid groups were accused of spying for the ICC. |
| The aid operation in Darfur is one of the world's largest, and the expulsions sparked fears of a new humanitarian disaster. | The aid operation in Darfur is one of the world's largest, and the expulsions sparked fears of a new humanitarian disaster. |
| But a month ago Mr Holmes said the situation had not deteriorated as much as feared, and in many instances the gaps had been filled by the UN and the Sudanese government. | But a month ago Mr Holmes said the situation had not deteriorated as much as feared, and in many instances the gaps had been filled by the UN and the Sudanese government. |
| And on Thursday, he said there had been "good progress" in improving relations between the Khartoum government and the UN since the low point following the ICC indictment. | And on Thursday, he said there had been "good progress" in improving relations between the Khartoum government and the UN since the low point following the ICC indictment. |