Sudan Feature: Falling Apart on the Border in Abyei (Fick)

On Wednesday, we posted an article on the escalating violence on the border between the Republic of Sudan and Southern Sudan, due to become independent in July. Yesterday a Southern Sudan minister said more than 150,000 people have fled because of the fighting.

Maggie Fick picks up the story for Foreign Policy magazine:

In the past week, things have fallen apart in Sudan. With the clock ticking down toward the date when Africa's largest country officially breaks in two, the borderlands between the two would-be states have caught on fire.

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Sudan Feature: Khartoum Bombards and Seizes the Border Town of Abyei (Flatman)

Republic of Sudan President Omer Hassan al-BashirUPDATE 1240 GMT: A United Nations spokesman said four UN helicopters were fired upon, probably by militias allied to Republic of Sudan forces, during a visit to Abyei late on Tuesday.

Hua Jiang said 14 rounds were fired when the helicopters took off, but the crews landed safely.

Jiang said militias of the Arab Misseriya tribe were probably responsible for the attack, adding that they were now moving southwards after civilians had left the main settlement of Abyei.

UPDATE 0745 GMT: On Tuesday, President Bashir said that Abyei belongs to the Republic of Sudan: "Abyei is northern Sudanese land. We will not withdraw from it."

Bashir said he had authorised his army to respond to any possible "provocation" by the army of South Sudan.

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