The UN food agency says nearly 40 aid workers have been evacuated from a northern area in the country due to deteriorating security.

The World Food Program says 38 people from three UN agencies and three aid organizations were flown out of Gezera and Nhialdu in the former Unity State last week amid signs that fighting is imminent.

The WFP said its rapid-response team had registered nearly 25,000 people for food assistance in Gezera before being pulled out.

It said they have been relocated to the central town of Rumbek.

The UN agency says other humanitarian staff were working on education, water, sanitation and protection programs as well as projects to rebuild livelihoods. This group has been flown to Rubkona town.

According to the Reuter News Agency, a WFP spokeswoman said they hope the security situation will improve enough to allow re-deployment of their team.

It also reported that the Danish Refugee Council confirmed seven of its staff working on food security and protection had been relocated and would return as soon as tensions eased.