CAIRO: The Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) met the Sudan army 30-40 kms outside the disputed oil town of Heglig, and pushed back the invading force. South Sudan's Vice President, Riek Machar, who is in the area of conflict, said so. Philip Aguer, spokesman for the SPLA, said today, Saturday, that there had been overnight clashes in Kelet, a village about 40kms from Heglig. “Yesterday, there were clashes between their patrols and SPLA. … SPLA has destroyed two tanks belonging to [Sudan's army],” Aguer added. There has been no comment from Khartoum, who had been open about their intentions to invade and recapture the town, which has been in South Sudan's possession since early this week. South Sudan has been under intensive international pressure to pull out of Heglig after it seized the area on Tuesday. South Sudan has agreed to withdraw from the area, but only if an international peace-keeping force moves in. Khartoum has rejected the plan. A source in Juba, the capital of South Sudan, told Bikyamasr.com that the atmosphere is confident but wary in the streets, cafes and bars of Juba, with some small demonstrations in support of the SPLA. 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.
