UNITED NATIONS, March 11 (Xinhua) -- A joint United Nations-Sudanese government team on Wednesday began to evaluate the humanitarian needs in Darfur, after Khartoum decided to expel 13 foreign non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from the area last week.

    The expulsions started immediately after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Darfur.

    As of March 10, 183 international staff of the affected NGOs had already left the country, while others are awaiting exit visas, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said.

    UN officials are worried about the humanitarian situation in the area, as the expelled NGOs had provided health, nutrition, water, sanitation, education, food security, and other assistance to some 4.7 million people there, according to the UN website.

    In addition to Darfur, other areas of North Sudan, such as Abyei in Blue Nile State, and Southern Kordofan State, would also be deeply affected by the expulsions, a UN spokesperson said in New York.

    However, Ali Ahmed Karti, Sudanese state minister for foreign affairs, said the UN chief "should be patient and wait to be briefed by UN representatives in Sudan" on the situation there, and he would find out that the expulsions had not affected those who are in need of humanitarian assistance.