South Sudan army repulse SAF attempt to retake Heglig – VP. Machar

April 14, 2012 (JUBA) – South Sudan’s Vice President, Riek Machar, said an attempt by the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) to retake the disputed town of Heglig (Panthou) was repulsed on Friday night.

Machar, who is currently in Bentiu town of Unity State near where the fighting is takes place, said Saturday that SAF forces tried to retake Heglig on Friday but were repulsed 30km away, north of Heglig town, and where fleeing northwards.

The Sudanese army have carried out a massive mobilisation and deployment and announced that their forces were advancing toward Heglig, vowing to recapture it.

Philip Aguer, the SPLA spokesperson also said fighting was going on inside another disputed town of Kersana, saying the South Sudan army will also take control of the area.

South Sudanese Information Minister Barnaba Benjamin also from Juba told Reuters. “Heglig is (still) under our control”.

President Salva Kiir said in a statement on Friday that he would only order the to retreat from Heglig if an international UN force was deployed there. Sudan was quick to reject this offer saying Heglig is a Sudanese territory as it was placed in South Kordofan by a ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague in 2009.

Strategically Heglig is very important as – until the SPLA captured the area and turned of the pumps – it produces over half of Sudan’s oil output of 110,000 barrels per day.

Sudanese officials in Khartoum, having vowed to retake Heglig militarily saying they will release soon the details of theit ongoing operations there.

(ST)