Date: Mon, 2 Jun 2014 23:07:21 +0200
Deadly clashes between Sudan clans over oil-rich land
At least 41 people killed in fighting between Zurug and Awlad Amran clans
over ownership of land being explored for oil in West Kordofan state.
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First Published: 2014-06-02
KHARTOUM - At least 41 people have been killed in clashes between rival
Sudanese clans over the ownership of land being explored for oil in West
Kordofan state, a tribal source said.
Another 13 people were seriously wounded in the fighting that raged through
to Sunday between the Zurug and Awlad Amran clans of the powerful Misseriya
tribe, the source said.
Those involved in the clashes used Kalashnikov assault rifles and rocket
propelled-grenades.
A witness, who declined to be named, said the fighting broke out as each
group claimed ownership of a plot of land where drilling for oil is
underway.
Oil-rich West Kordofan state borders the province of South Kordofan where
Sudanese government forces have been battling rebels for nearly three years.
It also neighbours the western region of Darfur, where the army and allied
tribes have since 2003 battled rebels demanding an end to economic
marginalisation and power sharing with the Khartoum government.
Militias, rebel splinter groups and armed tribes operate in the region,
where gunmen abducted two Chinese and an Algerian from an oilfield in April.
The three were released in May.
But fighting between tribes is frequent in Sudan, and often breaks out over
grazing rights.
The Misseriya is a semi-nomadic Arab tribe that raises cattle.
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