Civilians continue to seek safety in government-controlled towns across the country as they flee intensifying fighting between rebel UNITA forces and Angolan Armed Forces (FAA) troops, according to humanitarian officials.

The world's major diamond producing and trading countries have reported progress in drafting an international certification scheme for rough diamonds.

Increasing instability in Angola's interior had led to a steady influx of internally displaced people into "most provincial capitals" from 8-12 October, according to the UN's World Food Programme (WFP).

A dusk-to-dawn curfew along a 450 km stretch of the Kavango river could prevent Angolans fleeing intense fighting between government and rebel forces in Angola's southeastern Cuando Cubango province from seeking asylum in Namibia, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has warned.

The United Nations Security Council has asked Angola's warring parties to grant humanitarian workers access to at-risk communities, saying it is deeply concerned about humanitarian conditions in the country. UN statistics indicate at least 500,000 Angolans are in desperate need of food and medicine cannot be reached.