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WASHINGTON: The United States Saturday condemned an offensive by Sudan's army after government troops seized the key town in the contested border region of Abyei, the White House said.
A White House statement called on Sudan's armed forces “to immediately cease all offensive operations in Abyei and withdraw its forces from Abyei.” Failure to do so could set back the process of normalizing relations between Sudan and the United States and inhibit the international community's ability to move forward on issues critical to Sudan's future,” the statement said.
The statement from the White House press secretary said Washington “condemns the offensive operations being undertaken by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) in and around Abyei town and today's presidential decree dissolving the Abyei Administration.”
The statement noted that the United States “deplored the May 19 attack by Southern forces on a United Nations convoy,” it added that “this response is disproportionate and irresponsible” and “blatant violations” of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement for Sudan.
The comments came after Sudanese government troops Saturday took control of the key town in the contested border region of Abyei after fierce fighting with the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), according to UN and rebel sources.
“The SAF have entered (the town) Abyei, there is still fighting but they have come with tanks, they are shooting and shooting,” said SPLA spokesman Philip Aguer in Sudan.
Officials with the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) and a diplomatic source with a UN Security Council delegation visiting the Sudanese capital Khartoum confirmed the news to AFP.
“The SAF have taken the town, it is a major development,” the diplomatic source, who did not want to be named, said.
