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Sudan mobilises army over seizure of oilfield by South Sudan Sudan mobilises army over seizure of oilfield by South Sudan
(40 minutes later)
Sudan has said it would mobilise its army against its southern neighbour after South Sudanese soldiers seized control of Heglig, the country's biggest oilfield on Tuesday, raising the prospect of outright war between the two states. Sudan has said that it will mobilise its army against South Sudan after the latter's soldiers seized control of Sudan's biggest oilfield, near the town of Heglig, on Tuesday, raising the prospect of outright war between the two states.
The African Union expressed "grave concern" over the incursion and called on South Sudan's army to withdraw immediately and unconditionally. The African Union expressed "grave concern" over the incursion and called on South Sudan's army to withdraw immediately and unconditionally.
South Sudan, which says it was responding to aerial bombardments and a ground attack on its territory, has shown no desire to pull back. Instead its officials have reiterated claims that Heglig is part of their country. South Sudan says it was responding to aerial bombardments and a ground attack on its territory, and has shown no desire to pull back. Instead, officials in the capital, Juba, have reiterated a claim that Heglig belongs to the south.
Rahmatullah Mohamed Osman, the under-secretary at Sudan's foreign ministry, described the situation as the greatest crisis since separation. "When they are going deep into Sudan, 70 kilometres, and affecting the nerve of our oil industry, this is a very serious issue," he said on Wednesday. Rahmatullah Mohamed Osman, the under-secretary at Sudan's foreign ministry, described the situation as the greatest crisis since separation.
Since South Sudan seceded last July, the countries have traded furious accusations and there have been direct clashes between them. "When they are going deep into Sudan, 70 kilometres, and affecting the nerve of our oil industry, this is a very serious issue," he said on Wednesday.
Sudan has complained to the UN security council and the AU. It has also called its negotiators back from talks in neighbouring Ethiopia for at least as long as the fighting lasts. Since the south seceded last July, the two have traded accusations and direct clashes. Sudan has now complained to the UN and the African Union. It has also called its negotiators back from talks held in neighbouring Ethiopia for at least as long as the fighting lasts. Sudanese TV has been broadcasting "patriotic" programmes celebrating "martyrs" from previous conflicts with the south. In the capital, Khartoum, queues formed at some petrol stations.
Sudanese TV meanwhile has been broadcasting "patriotic" programmes celebrating "martyrs" from previous conflicts with South Sudan. One MP said it was outrageous that a well known Egyptian singer was going to perform in Khartoum at the weekend, when all energies needed to be directed to kicking out the South Sudanese. Sources say that Khartoum's forces struck first, possibly in an attempt to dislodge South Sudan's army from a base at Teshwin on the disputed border which it had taken two weeks earlier. On Tuesday, the north bombarded several targets in Unity state, in South Sudan, before the ground troops moved in. "The Sudanese attacked first, but they didn't have as many soldiers, so they were forced to flee," said an oil industry worker in the Heglig area who did not want to be named.
Elsewhere in the capital long queues formed at some petrol stations. Osman said it would be impossible to produce oil in Heglig as long as it was in South Sudanese hands, and Khartoum residents are worried the fuel may not last, and food prices may rise. South Sudan has accused its northern neighbour of starting the conflict to gain an upper hand at the negotiating table. "I strongly believe Khartoum's stance is they want to make military gains so they come to the table in a position of strength," said Nhial Deng, South Sudan's foreign minister.
Sources say Khartoum's forces struck first, possibly in an attempt to dislodge the South Sudanese army from a base at Teshwin on the disputed border that it had taken two weeks earlier. Negotiations that should have been resolved before separation in July have become bogged down over issues such as debt, citizenship, borders and oil. The biggest problem, according to one of the mediators, is the lack of trust between the two sides, many of whose leaders fought each other during the 20-year civil war which ended in 2005 and in which an estimated two million people died. The issue of oil is particularly difficult to resolve. Sudan's economy is struggling after the south took 75% of total Sudan oil production when it seceded.
On Tuesday, the north bombarded several targets in Unity state, in South Sudan, before the ground troops moved in. There was no agreement on how much South Sudan should pay to export its oil through Sudan's pipelines, so after Khartoum started taking oil in lieu of payment, stealing it, in Juba's view, South Sudan shut its production. Oil accounts for 98% of the south's revenue and all export earnings. But President Salva Kiir has said his people became used to surviving in the war years, and could do so again. So far, the decision to halt production has been popular.
"The Sudanese attacked first, but they didn't have as many soldiers, so they were forced to flee," said an oil industry worker in the Heglig area who did not want to be named. In Khartoum, President Omar al-Bashir does not enjoy the same support. He is wanted by the international criminal court for alleged genocide in Darfur, and is facing fresh rebellions in the border states of Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile. Rising prices have led to demonstrations. Sudan has accused South Sudan of supporting rebels in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile, former comrades in arms who were left north of the border at separation. Juba denies the claim, and says Khartoum is funding South Sudanese rebels.
South Sudan has accused its northern neighbour of igniting the conflict to gain an upper hand at the negotiating table. "I strongly believe Khartoum's stance is they want to make military gains so they come to the table in a position of strength," said Nhial Deng, South Sudan's foreign minister. After Sudan became independent in 1956, disputes and wars over autonomy for the south continued until a peace agreement in 2005. After a referendum, the south declared itself a republic in 2011, and joined the UN and the AU. In July 2009, the permanent court of arbitration redefined the boundaries between north and south, placing the Heglig oilfield in Sudan, but did not specify oil sharing. Based on this, Sudan announced it would not share any of the oil revenue with South Sudan, since Heglig was a part of the north.
Negotiations, which should have been resolved before separation in July, have become bogged down over issues such as debt, citizenship, border and oil. The biggest problem, according to one of the mediators, is the lack of trust between the two sides, many of whose leaders fought each other during the two decade long civil war which ended in 2005 and in which an estimated two million people died.
The issue of oil has proven particularly difficult to resolve. The Sudanese economy is struggling after South Sudan took three quarters of the oil production when it seceded. There was no agreement on how much South Sudan should pay to export its oil through Sudan's pipelines, so after Khartoum started taking oil in lieu of payment – stealing it, in Juba's view. South Sudan shut its production.
Oil accounts for 98% of South Sudan's revenue and all of its export earnings, so shutting oil production was a big gamble. But President Salva Kiir said his people had become used to surviving on next to nothing during the war years, and could do so again. So far the decision has proved popular.
In Khartoum, President Bashir doesn't enjoy the same support. He is wanted by the international criminal court for alleged genocide in Darfur and facing fresh rebellions in the border states of Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile. Rising prices have led to demonstrations throughout the country. "The conflict has its own well-known set of causes and dynamics," said Zach Vertin of International Crisis Group. "But rocky internal politics in Khartoum are an equally important piece of the puzzle. National Congress Party posturing also hints at a strategy of orienting attention toward an external enemy and thus away from the structural flaws, discontent, and divisions at home."
Sudan has accused South Sudan of supporting rebels , old comrades in arms who were left north of the border at separation. Juba denies the claim and says Khartoum is funding South Sudanese rebels.
The US and the UK, among others, have put pressure on both to stop interfering across the border.
"Despite the high rhetoric, both sides have for years calculated that there would be more to lose than gain from a return to full-scale war," said Vertin. "That still holds true, but as emotions run high amid a complex landscape of actors and interests, every new provocation threatens to alter the equation."