Sudan, South Sudan clash at oil border

PanARMENIAN.Net - Clashes have broken out in oil-rich border areas between Sudan and South Sudan in what has been called the biggest confrontation since the countries split last July, BBC News reported.

South Sudan President Salva Kiir said his forces had seized a key oil field - a claim denied by Sudan.

Sudan state radio says President Omar al-Bashir has put off next week's visit to South Sudan for a summit.

The countries fought a long civil war before the South seceded from Sudan. The clashes were first reported late on Monday, March 26 and continued for a second day on Tuesday.

Gideon Gatpan, information minister for South Sudan's Unity state, told the BBC a Sudanese plane dropped two bombs 35 kilometres from the town of Bentiu.

He said he had no reports of casualties, adding that he believed the real targets were the nearby oil fields inside South Sudan.

The vice-president of the Greater Nile Petroleum Operating Company, Chom Bol, said a further bomb had landed near a camp for his staff inside the Unity oil field.

But a Sudanese armed forces spokesman denied there had been an air raid, saying there had been no fighting so far on Tuesday.

The nations disagree over several issues, of which the biggest is oil. The two leaders had been due to hold talks at the summit, which had been billed as sign of improved relations.

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