Sudan denies sending more troops to oil town

May 23, 2008 (KHARTOUM) — A senior south Sudanese official on Friday accused the government of sending more troops to the disputed oil town of Abyei, stoking tensions after a week of bloody north-south clashes.

The claim was dismissed as “absolutely incorrect” by Sudan’s dominant northern party, the National Congress Party (NCP), which said it was ready to resolve the standoff at a meeting chaired by the United Nations next week.

More than 70,000 people are thought to have fled the area following fighting between northern Sudan Armed Forces troops and the southern Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA).

Heavy fighting which erupted on Tuesday killed at least 21 northern soldiers and an unknown number of southerners.

Both the north and south covet Abyei, largely due to its nearby oil pipeline and surrounding installations that produce around a half of Sudan’s daily output of 500,000 barrels of oil.

Its demarcation was left undecided in the historic 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement that ended more than two decades of north-south civil war.

Analysts have warned that Abyei could be the flashpoint to reignite war if it is not resolved amicably and quickly.

Edward Lino, appointed by south Sudan’s semi-autonomous government as administrator for Abyei, said more northern troops had been seen heading towards the region.

“The government of Khartoum is sending more troops to the area. This is not going to be for the good of Sudan. It is going to be for the bad of Sudan. They want to fight,” he told Reuters. Lino said SPLA troops were currently holding their positions to the south of the town.

“I am not suggesting that this could lead to civil war,” he added. “But it could be localised.”

Didiri Mohamed Ahmed, the NCP official in charge of Abyei, denied that any fresh troops were on their way to the remote central area.

“The situation has returned to normal. The SPLA has withdrawn its troops to the south of the river and the Sudan Armed Forces troops are in Abyei, under the terms of the previous agreement.”

He said there were now plans to hold a session of Sudan’s Ceasefire Joint Military Committee, a high-level body made up of military leaders from both sides and chaired by the U.N., some time next week.

Ahmed said he would be seeking an explanation of why southern troops left their position and attacked northern troops in the town on Tuesday. Lino has said the fighting started only after northern troops advanced on southern positions.

International observers said last week’s fighting started with the shooting of a northern soldier at a checkpoint and quickly escalated from there.

Aid groups said they were bringing food, water and medical care to up to 60,000 of people who fled the fighting and took shelter in the community of in Agok and 18 surrounding villages.

The International Organisation of Migration said another 10,000 people are believed to have moved south towards the town of Turalei and beyond.

(Reuters)