United Nations, June 16 (IANS) UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has expressed concern over the prevailing situation in Sudan's South Kordofan region, Ban's spokesman Martin Nesirky said in a statement released here.

Moon has requested the parties involved to stop fighting in the area, he added.

"The secretary-general is deeply concerned about the deterioration of the security situation and the escalation of fighting in Southern Kordofan, which has caused the death of many civilians and the displacement of tens of thousands, and put UN staff directly at risk," Xinhua quoted Nesirky as saying.

"The secretary-general urges the parties to immediately cease all hostilities and allow unconditional air and ground access to UNMIS and the humanitarian agencies to all parts of Southern Kordofan to provide vital assistance to the affected population, and to ensure the safety and security of UN staff," said Nesirky.

The United Nations Mission in the Sudan (UNMIS) was established by the UN Security Council under Resolution 1590 in response to the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement between the government of the Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement Jan 9, 2005 in Nairobi, Kenya.

Fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) representing Khartoum, and the Sudanese People's Liberation Army (SPLA) of South Sudan, erupted in oil-rich South Kordofan June 5. It has escalated to involve artillery and helicopters.

The violence in Sudan has erupted just weeks before South Sudan is due to become an officially independent country July 9.