Soldiers from the Sudan People's Liberation Army during a military parade rehearsal in Juba, southern Sudan on July 5, 2011
Sudan says it will retaliate against South Sudan for backing a rebel attack inside the former’s territory, which it calls a violation of a memorandum on non-aggression and cooperation signed earlier in the month.
Sudan’s Foreign Ministry said on Sunday that militants from Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), a banned political party, which is fighting Khartoum, carried out a raid in the disputed Jau area — part of an oil-rich region on the poorly defined border.
The ministry said the rebels, who were accompanied by officers from South Sudan’s Army, conducted a ‘direct attack’ on the area six kilometers inside the border.
“Sudan reserves the right according to international law to react to this attack,” the ministry said in a statement.
The statement added that Sudan will also file a complaint against the South Sudan at the United Nations Security Council and the African Union.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has already warned that tensions between Sudan and South Sudan could threaten regional peace and security.
The SPLM-N has for several months been fighting against the government forces in the states of Blue Nile and South Kordofan along the border with South Sudan.
In July 2011, South Sudan voted to break away from Sudan following a two-decade civil war that killed about two million people in Africa’s biggest country.
Since then, the two countries have been engaged in a blame game, with each side accusing the other of supporting rebels within its territory, and they failed to resolve a major dispute over oil transit fees.
“Sudan reserves the right according to international law to react to this attack,” the ministry said in a statement.
The statement added that Sudan will also file a complaint against the South Sudan at the United Nations Security Council and the African Union.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has already warned that tensions between Sudan and South Sudan could threaten regional peace and security.
The SPLM-N has for several months been fighting against the government forces in the states of Blue Nile and South Kordofan along the border with South Sudan.
In July 2011, South Sudan voted to break away from Sudan following a two-decade civil war that killed about two million people in Africa’s biggest country.
Since then, the two countries have been engaged in a blame game, with each side accusing the other of supporting rebels within its territory, and they failed to resolve a major dispute over oil transit fees.