Armies of Sudan rivals clash in Abyei region

The armies of North and South Sudan have accused each other of launching attacks in the disputed region of Abyei.
Artillery fire erupted in Sudan's contested Abyei region hours after the north accused the south of ambushing a convoy in the border area, the United Nations said.
|
"We heard artillery exchanges in Abyei in Todach and Tagalei but we don't know who is fighting whom," said Kouider Zerrouk, spokesperson for the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) on Friday.

The fresh violence came after the north accused the SPLA of attacking a convoy of Sudanese soldiers and UN peacekeepers late on Thursday in Dokura north of Abyei town.

"Abyei is now a war zone," said Sadiq Amer, deputy head of northern intelligence and security forces, adding that at least 22 soldiers had been killed in what he called an "aggression" of southern forces against a convoy of around 10 vehicles.

"The troops were ambushed without any warning," he told reporters in the capital Khartoum.
"We know that they are mobilising huge numbers of troops, not only in Abyei but along the 1956 border line," he said. "They should know that the Sudanese armed forces are ready."
The SPLA denied responsibility for the attack, which the United Nations said had taken place on a convoy of northern troops escorted by UN peacekeepers under a deal for both sides to withdraw forces from the disputed territory