S. Sudan leader insists troops to occupy oil area, threatens attack

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

S. Sudan leader insists troops to occupy oil area, threatens attack

SHARE BOOKMARKPRINTEMAILRATING

 

Soldiers lie in Bentiu hospital, Unity state, South Sudan on April 11, 2012 recovering from war wounds sustained in fighting just two hours north. Sudan and South Sudan edged the closest to all-out war Wednesday since the South seceded last year, as border clashes raged and both sides called on citizens to take up defences. Amid heavy artillery bombardments and airstrikes in the battle zone, Sudan called the South's seizure of the contested oil-producing Heglig region the worst violation of its territory yet. AFP PHOTO

 

By MACHEL AMOS NATION Correspondent

Posted Thursday, April 12 2012 at 19:00

IN SUMMARY

 

UN Secretary General gave me an order to immediately withdraw from Heglig, I said I’m not under your command, MPs told

JUBA, Thursday

 

South Sudan President Salva Kiir has said his troops will not withdraw from the contested oil-rich border town of Heglig, which they took days ago in fresh clashes with the Sudan Armed Forces.

 

Mr Kiir’s remark comes amidst UN calls for immediate withdrawal.

 

He said Khartoum took it as a military weakness when he ordered the troops to withdraw after overrunning Heglig last month.

 

“It was not. But we always believe that everything can be resolved by peaceful means,” Mr Kiir stressed.

 

“This time, I said that I will not order the forces to withdraw,” Mr Kiir said, attracting applause from the packed house.

 

He said the decision is “not because we are interested in war but we want to resolve this problem once and for all.”

 

UN secretary general Ban Ki Moon in a phone call on Wednesday urged President Kiir to order his forces to withdraw immediately.

 

Share This Story

Share

 

RELATED STORIES

 

UN calls for calm in Sudan after clashes

Airstrikes, artillery shelling on Sudan-S.Sudan border

Sudan halts talks with South after 'most serious' attack

New Sudan clashes as battle rages

“The UN Secretary General gave me an order that I am ordering you to immediately withdraw from Heglig. I said I am not under your command,” President Kiir said, attracting applause.

 

Mr Kiir accused the UN and the international community of being unfair in handling the matters between the two former foes.

 

“Whatever aerial bombardments are being conducted in South Sudan are violation of our sovereignty. When we report them to the international community, they don’t take it as something that concerns them,” Mr Kiir said, arguing that whenever Juba takes a step in self-defence, it becomes a matter of international concern.

 

“You are not doing justice to all of us,” Mr Kiir said.

 

“You want to see justice done to Sudan and not South Sudan and this is unfair,” he said.

 

Mr Kiir said the Sudan troops have not withdrawn from Abyei despite international calls to do so.

 

He said that if Bashir does not move out his forces out of Abyei, “we are going to reconsider our position and we are going back to Abyei.”

[Mario B]

XX, panning out the future relation between the "Republic of Somaliland" and Somalia.

[Abdul]

Mario B;817929 wrote:

XX, panning out the future relation between the "Republic of Somaliland" and Somalia.

He seems to be on South Sudan side.