South Sudan frees prisoners; clashes abate
JUBA/BEIJING |
JUBA/BEIJING (Reuters) – South Sudan freed prisoners of war on Wednesday as clashes appeared to abate between north and south, after cross-border fighting that threatened to tip into all-out war.
Sitting on some of Africa‘s most significant oil reserves, Sudan and South Sudan have been unable to resolve a dispute over oil revenues and border demarcation since the South gained independence in July.
Nearly all oil production has now stopped and the border fighting in contested oil-producing regions has grown more intense, prompting China, which has economic interests in both countries, and the African Union to push for a diplomatic deal.
“The SPLA (South Sudan‘s army) handed over prisoners of war to the ICRC. They were 14 who were captured during the battles of Heglig from April 10-15,” Philip Aguer, spokesman for South Sudan‘s army, said in Juba.
Aguer was referring to the Heglig oilfield which the SPLA captured earlier this month but later withdrew from, under international pressure. Juba has since
Read more: http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/04/25/uk-sudan-south-conflict-idUKBRE83O0UJ20120425
Category: South Sudan News
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