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| Sudan mobilises army over seizure of oilfield by South Sudan | Sudan mobilises army over seizure of oilfield by South Sudan |
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| 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. | 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 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. | 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. | 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. | "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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. South Sudan, however, refused to accept the decision saying arbitration court was appointed specifically for the disputed region of Abyei not Heglig. |