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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Armies 'head for central Sudan' | Armies 'head for central Sudan' |
| (19 minutes later) | |
| Rival troops from north and south are converging on central Sudan, a UN official has told the BBC. | Rival troops from north and south are converging on central Sudan, a UN official has told the BBC. |
| The country was "on the brink" of a resumption of the 20-year civil war, said UN regional co-ordinator for South Sudan David Gressley. | The country was "on the brink" of a resumption of the 20-year civil war, said UN regional co-ordinator for South Sudan David Gressley. |
| The warning follows recent clashes in the oil-rich region of Abyei, which is claimed by both sides. | The warning follows recent clashes in the oil-rich region of Abyei, which is claimed by both sides. |
| On Tuesday, the US envoy to Sudan warned that leaders from both sides were not interested in peace. | On Tuesday, the US envoy to Sudan warned that leaders from both sides were not interested in peace. |
| Leaders from both sides tried to downplay the fears of renewed conflict. | |
| The warnings come as the UN Security Council is in Sudan, trying to ease tensions in Abyei, as well as the western region of Darfur. | |
| 'Sham peace' | |
| "There's a gradual escalation of forces on all sides at this point in time," Mr Gressley said. | "There's a gradual escalation of forces on all sides at this point in time," Mr Gressley said. |
| Mr Gressley said he did not think either side wanted a war, at this point, but that the situation had to be de-escalated or it could unravel the entire peace process. | |
| BBC world affairs correspondent Mark Doyle says that would spell a new drama in Sudan, which already has millions of war-displaced people. | BBC world affairs correspondent Mark Doyle says that would spell a new drama in Sudan, which already has millions of war-displaced people. |
| Some 50,000 people - virtually the entire population - fled the heavy fighting in Abyei town last month. | Some 50,000 people - virtually the entire population - fled the heavy fighting in Abyei town last month. |
| The area contains oil wells which generate billions of dollars, but our correspondent says more than money is at stake - Abyei is coming to symbolise a new breakdown in trust between the mainly Arab north and South Sudan. | The area contains oil wells which generate billions of dollars, but our correspondent says more than money is at stake - Abyei is coming to symbolise a new breakdown in trust between the mainly Arab north and South Sudan. |
| The two sides signed a peace deal in 2005 and the former southern rebels joined the national government. | The two sides signed a peace deal in 2005 and the former southern rebels joined the national government. |
| Under this deal, the mainly Christian and animist south is due to hold a referendum in 2011 on whether to secede. | Under this deal, the mainly Christian and animist south is due to hold a referendum in 2011 on whether to secede. |
| South Sudan leader Salva Kiir raised the issue of Abyei with the UN Security Council envoys. | |
| "We are not looking for war," he said, adding that keeping the peace depended on the political will of northern leaders. | |
| Northern politician Abdul Mahmoud Abdulhalim told the BBC that there were no troops heading for Abyei. | |
| But western diplomats seem increasingly worried. | |
| US envoy to Sudan Richard Williamson on Tuesday announced that talks to normalise relations between the two countries had been suspended because of the lack of progress on peace talks. | |
| "I won't be part of a sham peace that won't change the situation," he said. |