CAIRO: The Sudan has confirmed that Khartoum's troops are advancing towards the disputed oil fields of Heglig, which has been under the control of South Sudanese army (SPLA), for three days now. This, according to spokesperson for the Sudan's military, al-Sawarmi Khaled. The SPLA said they were forced to push the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) out of the border town area after repeated attacks. South Sudan President Salva Kiir said the oil-rich area is part of South Sudanese territory and refuses to pull his army out of it. Speaking to the press, Al-Sawarmi said that SAF has started its counteroffensive in the outskirts of Heglig town, stressing that they “will cleanse it within hours.” There is suspicion by Khartoum, that Darfur rebels are involved in the power struggle. Al-Sawarmi also said they control now all the borders of Darfur with the South Sudan to prevent rebels from crossing into South Sudan to join the fight against Khartoum. SPLA spokesperson Philip Aguer said he has heard nothing from the ground on recent developments, but asserted that their army is ready to “to defend itself and its territories,” according to reports in the Sudan Tribune. South Sudan has been under intensive international pressure to pull out of Heglig after it seized the area on Tuesday. When South Sudan seceded last July, they took with them most of the oil fields, and too, 75 percent of Khartoum's revenue. In an attempt to recoup the financial losses, Khartoum imposed a heavy tax on the oil traveling through its pipeline to Port Sudan on the Red Sea. There are no other options for moving the oil, and when the land-locked South Sudan suspected Khartoum was siphoning the oil and asking for too much money, they responded but stopping oil extraction altogether. 98 percent of The Republic of South Sudan's revenue is from oil; they are also considered one of the most under-developed regions in the world due to half a century of warfare with Khartoum. For South Sudan, this is a fight to the death.
