Sudanese army deploys troops to disputed Abyei region

ABIEMNOM – The Sudanese army has deployed hundreds of troops to the disputed South Sudanese region of Abyei raising fears among civilians who have been terrorized by Arabic militiamen, several residents said.

“There has been deployment of Sudanese troops in Abyei. They are in hundreds and were transported to Abyei in big tracks. To us this is a very big concern for my safety and that of my family,” one resident of Abyei told Sudans Post on condition of anonymity.

Abyei has been a battleground used by the Arab militia herdsmen to attack members of the Ngok Dinka community who have blamed the government of South Sudan and the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) of failing to protect them.

Earlier this year, a deadly attack there left dozens of innocent civilians dead including children. Some of the children who were kidnapped were returned later on with the Arab militiamen paying blood money.

A senior member of the Abyei oversight committee in Juba said “the government is investigating and we will first verify the information before we make a conclusion.”