Increased civil insecurity in some areas of southern Sudan is affecting food security and hampering improvements from recent harvests, an early-warning agency said on Thursday.

The Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS Net) said in its just published report that conflict is tempering the post-harvest improvement in food security expected to last until March 2007.

"Conflict is restricting the movement of goods and people as well as limiting agricultural activities in some areas, including Juba, Shiluk and Jonglei states," the agency said.

It said the June-September harvest in Northern Bahr El Ghazal and Warrap States could sustain food needs until early next year, but increasing civil insecurity like which erupted last week in Malakal town, threatened to worsen an improving situation.

"Ethnic conflict in Gogrial County in Northern Nahr El Ghazal limited access to land this season," it said, adding that the disarmament process conducted by the southern Sudanese government earlier this year in Diror, Pulchol and Nyirol counties had left households more vulnerable to cattle raiding by their armed neighbors in Pibor County.

FEWS Net said increasing civil insecurity caused by organized armed groups in Juba County was also a concern.

"Although the situation has not reached critical levels, attacks and killings continue, especially in villages and along roads heading to Juba town," it said.

Deadly clashes erupted last week in the southern Sudanese provincial capital of Malakal, which killed 150 people and injured more than 400 people.

A UN resident mission said normal business has now largely resumed across all areas of the town, the capital of Upper Nile state in southern Sudan.

Source: Xinhua