Reuters: Sudan cooperation with peacekeepers better: U.N.'s Ban

New York. Sudanese government cooperation with peacekeepers in Darfur has improved and major violence there is now uncommon but the situation of civilians remains dire, says a new report by U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon, Reuters informs.
The report appeared to counter predictions that the issuing of an arrest warrant in March by the International Criminal Court for Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir for war crimes in Darfur could make life worse for the peacekeepers.
A joint U.N.-African Union peacekeeping force, known as UNAMID, has been gradually deploying for the past 18 months, held up by shortages of troops and equipment, harsh conditions in Darfur and bureaucratic obstacles in Khartoum.
Currently at just over two-thirds of its planned strength, it is due to reach more than 90 percent of its full complement of 26,000 troops and police by the end of this year, according to the report by the U.N. secretary-general, issued on Friday.