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Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah / Reuters
Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir waves to military soldiers on Monday.
South Sudan accused Sudan on Tuesday of mounting bombing raids on the newly independent country's oil-producing border region and President Salva Kiir said the latest hostilities amounted to a declaration of a war by his northern neighbor.
Weeks of cross-border fighting between the former civil war foes have threatened to escalate into a full blown conflict in a region that holds one of Africa's most significant oil reserves.
Although both Sudan, ruled by President Omar al-Bashir since 1989, and South Sudan, which became independent last July under a peace deal with Khartoum, can ill-afford a protracted war, both countries have fueled tensions with bellicose rhetoric.
The United States, China and Britain urged both sides to return to the negotiating table.
"We strongly condemn Sudan's military incursion into South Sudan. Sudan must immediately halt the aerial and artillery bombardment in South Sudan by the Sudan armed forces," White House spokesman Jay Carney said.
Sudan's foreign minister said he was ready to discuss security issues with the South.
Philip Aguer, spokesman for South Sudan's army, or the SPLA, said Sudanese Antonov aircraft had flown up to 40 km (25 miles) into South Sudan's territory to bomb the settlements of Teschween, Panakuach and Roliaq on Monday night. Taban Deng Gai, governor of Unity State where the raids occurred, said bombs had hit Lalop market and Panakuach.
The raids came after the SPLA said Sudan bombed a market early on Monday near the oil town of Bentiu, capital of Unity state, and killed two civilians, an attack they said amounted to a declaration of war. The United Nations condemned the attack.
The Sudanese army denied carrying out air strikes.
Speaking in China, which has significant oil and business interests in both African countries, Kiir said Sudan had declared on his country.
PhotoBlog: South Sudanese run for cover as Sudan bombs border area
"It (this visit) comes at a very critical moment for the Republic of South Sudan because our neighbor in Khartoum has declared war on the Sudan," he told Chinese President Hu Jintao.
Hu called for restraint, urging the two neighbors to settle their disputes peacefully.
In addition to halting nearly all oil production, the recent fighting has displaced some 35,0000 people in areas around Heglig, Talodi and other parts of South Kordofan, the U.N. Refugee Agency said, citing its local partners.
"The urgent task is to actively cooperate with the mediation efforts of the international community and halt armed conflict in the border areas," China's state television paraphrased Hu as telling Kiir.
South Sudan said on Friday it would withdrew from the disputed Heglig oilfield it seized earlier this month, bowing to demands from the U.N. Security Council.
The SPLA's withdrawal from the oilfield, which used to produce about half of Sudan's total oil output, reduced the risk of an all-out war but Juba has accused Khartoum of daily air bombardments on its territories since then.
"We have not declared war but the SPLA is on maximum alert because if they attack they will not (catch) the SPLA off guard, Aguer told reporters in Juba.
"If they don't stop bombardment, if they don't stop the incursion into our territories, I assure you the SPLA is capable of retaking all of these areas that they are occupying by force," he said.
South Sudan became independent last year, breaking up what was Africa's largest country under a 2005 peace agreement that ended two decades of civil war.
But the two territories have yet to settle a long list of disputes including the position of their shared border, the ownership of critical territories and how much the landlocked South should pay in oil transit fees to Sudan.
The disputes have already halted nearly all oil production, choking the two countries' largely oil-dependent economies.
For China, the standoff shows how its economic expansion abroad has at times forced Beijing to deal with distant quarrels it would like to avoid.
A South Sudanese official, deputy chief of protocol Gum Bol Noah, said China had agreed to provide technical assistance on an alternative oil pipeline to Kenya, but would wait until the situation was calmer.
Juba has said it wants to build a pipeline within one year to end its dependency on Sudan's oil transit and export facilities, but experts say the project is not viable without significant new oil discoveries.
Bashir has ruled out a return to negotiations with Juba, saying the South's government only understands "the language of guns".
But Sudanese Foreign Minister Ali Karti said Khartoum was ready to negotiate with the South on "security issues".
"I'm now ready to talk, but on the security issues," Karti told reporters in Addis Ababa after meeting officials from the African Union, who have urged both sides to return to talks.
South Sudan Information Minister Barnaba Marial Benjamin said Kiir's visit to China was intended to improve relations that were strained after Juba expelled the head of a China-led oil consortium it accused of helping Sudan to "steal" southern oil.
"The relations we have been having with them (China), with Khartoum on the other side, have not been clear," he told reporters in Juba.
"There must be some sort of relationship where China can play a positive role, even in this war. You see it is like a case of a husband with two wives," he said referring to China's relationship with both Sudans.
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Leave a Comment:
What is the big deal about this article? It's Africa, right? China, go ahead and take everyone out. This would be the best scenerio for everyone involved and won't waste time or money. And the best thing, Obama won't get involved like he normally does with an african nation.
Bill Clinton's biggest regret as president was not stopping the genocide in Africa. Will Obama make the same mistake? Unlike the dick above me I feel like the lives of Africans matter.
Yawn.
+1
Derp
If China decides to put their weight behind South Sudan, Omar Hassan al-Bashir is totally screwed. China wants into the mineral and oil wealth of Africa. The Chinese are not afraid of the Muslims and can put war materials in South Sudan in a hurry. I don't know if their aircraft carrier is ready for deployment, but that is all they need to provide figther cover for their supply planes to cross the Sudan. al-Bashir might be crazy, but I don't think he wants to have to deal with China.
The only reason anyone cares about what happens in Africa at all is because of the natural resources there to be exploited. No one cares about the starvation, disease, or collateral war deaths of civilians there.
@Will
Especially those that live there who create the dynamics that lead to starvation, disease and collateral war deaths..
@Will, there are plenty of people who care about the starvation and disease. For decades monetary help and other forms of aid have been sent there. Maybe it's a minority who really cares but I honestly believe that most caring people are concerned. Even as a young child I remember the donation drives for areas like Biafra, Ethiopia, etc.
What however has never changed in Africa is that no matter how much the Western world tries to involve itself and assist in furthering democracy and equality, the corruptness perseveres and those who live there and are in power are the ones these days exploiting their own people . Sure you can be cynical and believe that Westerners are merely sponsoring new leaders in order to ensure access to Africa's immense richness in natural resources, however that is really no longer the case and hasn't been for many years.
What is UN doing? Is it dead?
US and allies should support the S. Sudan against the expansionist and Islamic Sudan.
frogman-2463629 I think China is after both, South Sudan is just a new country, China's investments got split after Sudan divided in two nations. They are friends with al-Bashir.
Also, this "Kiir's visit comes days after he ordered troops to withdraw from the oil-rich Heglig region after seizing it from Sudan" means the oil-rich region belongs to "North" Sudan.
China will have to acquire more resources because of their loss of arable land. They need to have something to use as leverage for food and fresh water. They will starve their own people in achieving the goals of their leaders.
You talk about insanity: the whole of Sudan is a killing ground, a few warlords calling themselves president - and they fight over a scrap of cloth or an oil well. The best thing that could be done is quarantine the whole country, no arms bigger than a pistol or rifle sold to them but sell food, then let them beat on each other. You can't make a government or civilization where it is not wanted.
if the South Sudanese would only make a small 50 million dollar contribution to the "re-elect obama" campaign I am certain he would be deploying U.S. forces there.
I'd be shocked if China 'reeally' helps them. Everyone there is a mess. I know it sounds rude but lets face it, they need rewiring in the brain. Unfortuantely you could never do that because it would appear or be misconstrued as something else. Meanwhile it would be nice if they could be a little more civilized just so they could help themselves.
I'll bet the CIA and or secret service is already there.
You are right Leon, they are already there because south sudanese prostitutes are cheaper than the columbian ones LOL.
Dear Sudan/South Sudan;
Please keep your war to yourselves, and do not interfere with the production or transportation of oil. We wish you both the very best in your efforts to rid the world of each other, and while we would very much like to assist, we simply do not have the capital at this time to stick our nose where it doesn't belong.
Thank You for Your Understanding,
The United States
Much of Africa has the ability to create something wonderful, a continent that can flourish using all the abundant natural resources it possess. Sadly a few greedy people who have no qualms about killing to possess something that is temporary, must insist on continually squabbling over what, in the long run, is basicly a petty issue. When they die, whatever wealth they have obtained, whether legitimately or through criminal behavior, can not be brought with them to the next world. Their deeds only will be either their wealth or poverty. How I long for my Lords return and an end of this insanity man refers to as civilization. There's nothing civil about it anymore, if ever there was.
south sudan declared its independence from sudan last july?.....the chinese will just side with sudan proper.....why not? just another dictator type street thug who wants his share of the wealth, proclaiming himself a commander and leading a motley band of youth to do the raping, looting and dying. a fine example of tribalism....and why africa is so third worldly.
Everyone rips off Africa, even the African's. Natural resources in huge abundance with a population fragmented by different tribes, religions, and political ambitions. They have been given billions over the years. Unfortunately, most of it winds up in the hands of their so called leaders and little to nothing is done for the people. Whether it's China, the U.S. or the European countries, any humanity that is shown has only been sold for oil and minerals. No one, or VERY few really care about the African people, including their leaders simply because they have little value compared to the wealth of the land....... and we have the audacity and arrogance to use the word civilization in describing ourselves.
now KIIr starts crying, while commence war and push his troops to HIGLEIG i think that time was drunk.
the mentality of SPLA gangs is foolish they can understand only gun war
Sudan is a muslim country. Don't expect any fairness or reasoning on their part. All they know is violence and death.
South Sudan start the war, now it realised that it brought a knife to a gun fight. Stupid christians.
Yeah. They have some nerve not wanting to get murdered. what idiots.
War, war, war, war, war, war!! There never was and never will be a period of time on the Earth when wars are not going on. We are still savages with suits after all these years, why can't we expend this energy on making the world a better place?
let them fight it out. they'll annihilate each other, then we won't have sudan/south sudan to worry about.
I don't know if the names Bashir and Bashar are related in Arabic. I do know that President Omar Hassan al-Bashir and President Bashar al-Assad are war criminals just as was President Saddam Hussein and they both deserve a prompt and similar end.
While Obama and Annan order sanctions and cease fires, the Syrian people are being massacred, their homes and businesses destroyed, and the world continues to debate. These artificially created by the League of Nations countries have been nothing but trouble to the rest of the world since their inceptions. They are so divided by their silly sects and tribalism that there is no hope that they can exist under present conditions.
We are seeing the same in the Sudan vs South Sudan conflict. The Sudanese autocracy will not let the South have any of the oil. In Iraq, Sunnis, Shiites, and Kurds will fight over oil. On and on it goes across the Arab/Muslim world. These people cannot govern themselves or even follow their own version of the Qur'an. They have no regard for human life. The enemy is not al Qaeda, Taliban, Hamas, Hezbollah, or any of the newer branches of terrorism. It is Islam...just as it has always been.
What about president Bari Shabazz?
I think the problem is judaism. Because jews have turned people against each other and watched them kill each others since begining of time. The reason why the jews have been massacared by the Pharons, the babyloniens, the romans, .......and Hitler. They (Jews) rejoycing the killings of civilians in the middle east and Africa till the day come when a new "Hitler" will put them in their place. Sadly, History repeat itself.
South Sudan is not the one that declared war. If sudan decides to invate the south it will end in outside military support.
Hey you ghetto dwelling bad azz's with the Gold Grills, the old Africa is calling you homeboy! Get a ticket and hurry to the home you were robbed of all those centuries ago by the evil man, take yo gangsta look and bring the fighting to a stand still. You bad...go show'em home! I'll raise a glass and watch the carnage on the news! hip! hip!
Racist much?
Fruty has a point.
alot of wars are comming alot of dicatorships like north sudan, syria, iran north korea and russia and china they all support each other. obama wont arm south sudan because obama afraid of russia for sure why u think he went in libya and not syria because he just scared of russia he even said off mic that after elections he be more cooperate with russia. Why is obama so afraid of russia???? Russia is going around world backing its dictatorships and if they attack another nations it will shield them from usa and we shouldnt be friends with russia anyway they didnt sigh treaty that says it wont use nuclear weapons as a first strike policy on conventional warfare. China sign it and usa sign it unfortuately. So that means if russia attacks a base of ours and we defeat them then they can just threaten use of nuclear weapons. those who sign this treaty only use nuclear weapons if they attack by them. Russia doesnt it will use nuclear weapons if it loses conventional battle or uses them first
Also obama is going to give claim islands off of alaska to russia i mean we can easily with stroke of pen claim those inslands and their resources but instead he allowing russia plant flag again obama is appeaser and weak so damn weak thank god he wasnt president during cold war around 1962 or we all be speaking russian
Check out the Constitution Party. We mighr have a legitimate option to the corrupt 'Washington Establishment'...
The Arab/ Moslem dictatorship controlling Sudan has perpetrated genocide and ethnic cleansing against the African residents of Sudan. The descendents of Arab/ Moslem invaders have killed hundreds of thousands of men, women and children and driven the rest of the Africans off of their mineral rich land. The survivors are living as refugees in a small part of Sudan carved out by the UN. Now the Arab/ Moslem occupiers of Sudan are threatening to murder, and are now actively killing, the survivors and steal the rest of their land. We must pressure President Obama to stop supporting the war criminals that are controlling Sudan.
Sudan is an African country made of BLACK AFRICAN people. The jewish propaganda machine in this country makes it sound like it's Arabs against african people. Because jews in this country can't stand the fast growing islam among african american. But guess what, african american people are wiser than jewish propaganda.
Cluck, Africans are still being murdered, raped, kidnapped and enslaved by Arab/ Muslims .
Well of course they declared war. Sudan just lost some valuable oil fields when South Sudan succeed. Money is the greatest influential power of this world; it is also the greatest corrupter.