Three Sudanese oil workers killed in Unity State

October 30, 2008 (JUBA) — Three Sudanese oil engineers working with the Yemeni HTC oil company were killed and two Yemenis were believed missing after they were ambushed in Unity State in southern Sudan.

Andrea Kuong, Unity State spokesperson, told Reuters on Thursday the group was ambushed while travelling between the Heglig oil-producing area in South Kordofan and Mayom County in Unity State on Wednesday.

“Two Yemenis were kidnapped, they (police) believe. But they are not 100 percent sure. They are still missing,” he said.

He blamed the incident on the Baggara tribe, an Arab nomadic group that grazes cattle in Unity State. “This is not the first time Baggara have ambushed cars,” he said.

The energy-producing region between north and south Sudan has seen escalating attacks against oil workers in the last six months.

Misseriya gunmen abducted nine Chinese oil workers from South Kordofan earlier this month and later killed four after what China said was a failed rescue attempt. Three workers escaped alive and two more remain missing. Sudan says the killings were unprovoked.

The Misseriya and other ethnic groups of Kordofan look with anger to the foreign oil firms because they consider them responsible of local ecosystem destruction. Also they say oil firms do not create jobs for them or provide help to create new activities in the region.

However, other reports point fingers to the local bandits in the area.

Sudan produces around 500,000 barrels per day of crude.

(ST)