About 20 people die in new clashes in Abyei, in dispute between Sudan and South Sudan

June 27. (EUROPA PRESS) –

Around 20 people died on Sunday in new inter-community clashes in the Abyei region, in dispute between Sudan and South Sudan and the epicenter of an increase in these tensions in recent months, as confirmed by the authorities.

Authorities from the Abyei Administrative Area have indicated that the attackers were members of a community residing in Twic county, in Warrap, who broke into the village of Mading-Acueng and killed 18 people, including a child.

The Information Minister of Abyei, Ajand Deng Miyen, has highlighted in statements granted to the Radio Tamazuj station that the attack led to clashes that spread to the nearby villages of Malou and Athony.

The attack has been confirmed by local Abyei Bulabek chief Deng Kuol, who has accused the South Sudanese Armed Forces of backing the actions of the Twic attackers. “The assailants were wearing South Sudan Defense Forces uniforms,” ​​he said.

For his part, Malek Ring, a senior Twic County official, has confirmed what happened and has blamed the incident on “criminals.” “The injured are now in a health center in Mayen Abun,” he pointed out.

Abyei’s status was put on hold when South Sudan declared its independence in 2011 and it remains one of the main sources of conflict between the two countries due to its geostrategic importance and its energy reserves. The region is under the administration of the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) until the dispute is resolved.

In principle, the future of the region should have been clarified according to a referendum stipulated in the historic peace accords of 2005, which led to the independence of South Sudan, although the Dgok Dinka have made the plebiscite impossible by unmitigatedly rejecting the participation of the miseriya nomads in consultation.