The UN Security Council has extended the mandate of United Nations Interim Security Force in Abyei for another six months.

The 15-member body also decided to maintain the same number of troops that have deployed already.

The force has 4,500 uniformed personnel, including troops, military observers and police. It is authorized by the Security Council to have 5,826 personnel, including military and the police.

The remaining forces would continue to be deployed depending on the evolution of the Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mechanism.

The Security Council strongly urged all parties to cease all forms of violence, human rights violations and abuses and demanded for safe humanitarian access to civilians.

The Council reiterated its demand that Sudan and South Sudan should urgently start forming the Abyei Area Administration and Council.

It also condemned the presence of forces from South Sudan and Sudan in the area and called upon the two countries to redeploy their security service personnel and the oil police, respectively, outside Abyei Area.

Abyei is being contested by the two countries. UNISFA was deployed in the area after the independence of South Sudan to provide interim security.