The disputed Sudanese oil town of Abyei has become a ghost town as thousands have fled in fear of an impending civil war.
A 13-hour overnight curfew is reported to have been imposed in the oil town.
After the violent clash in May that left 50,000 people homeless, up to 10,000 residents had returned to the oil town to rebuild their homes.
However, the fear of an imminent civil war has resurfaced following Friday’s cross-fire between members of the joint north-south army and police units in the town of Abeyi, causing about 90% of the town’s population to flee again.
The head of the UN Mission in Sudan Ashraf Qazi said he deplored the violent incident and strongly urged the parties to avoid any further outbreaks of unrest.
Cause of dispute
All Hell broke lose in Sudanese oil-rich town of Abyei, Friday, when police and the joint north-south Army clashed in what was described as a “fierce battle”, leaving one person dead and many more injured.
According to Abyei town deputy police commissioner, the fighting broke out on Friday afternoon in Abyei’s market area, when an argument broke out between soldiers and a market trader, during which shots were fired prompting the police to intervene.
The intervention left one northern soldier dead and nine other people injured.
Gunfire continued to be heard across the town on three occasions since then but there are no reports of any other injuries.
The head of the UN Mission in Sudan Ashraf Qazi has condemned the violent incident and strongly urged the parties to avoid any further outbreaks of violence.
History of dispute
The tensions in the oil-rich town of Sudan date back to a two-decade civil war between the north and south.
A peace deal ended the conflict in 2005 but could not resolve the boundary for the oil-rich area.
Both sides claim it as their own and have remained at loggerheads over the demarcation of the region.
This clash in Abyei is the first significant outbreak of violence in the disputed central Sudanese oil-rich town since dozens were killed in clashes between northern and southern troops seven months ago.
The violence is said to have been sparked by an argument at a checkpoint which quickly escalated because of long-standing and unresolved tensions in the area.
