20120710
Xinhua
The Ethiopian troops of the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) have contained riots at the area caused by tens of members of Dinka Ngok tribe, Khartoum's Almeghar Al-Syasy daily reported Tuesday.

According to the paper, the Ethiopian troops of UNISFA, which are deployed at the oil-rich area of Abyei, disputed over by Sudan and South Sudan, the Dinka Ngok tribe members have entered the area, caused a state of chaos and wounded two members of the Mesiria tribe.

"Tens of members of Dinka Ngok tribe have assembled from nearby areas to celebrate the 1st anniversary of South Sudan independence inside Abyei, caused chaos and attacked the citizens. Some of the citizens suffered serious injuries and have been transported to al- Muglad hospital", the paper quoted Al-Khair Al-Faheem, Chief of the Abyei Oversight Committee on the part of Sudan, as saying.

"The Sudanese side reported the incident to the Chief of the Abyei Oversight Committee on the part of South Sudan Luka Biong as the move constitutes a violation of the resolution of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) regarding the area", said Al- Faheem.

Al-Faheem further condemned the incident as a bad behavior that harms the work of the UN mission, adding that the situations at the area were back to normal and that the Ethiopia troops have firmly dealt with the events.

Tensions soared in the Abyei area when South Sudan army ambushed a convoy of the Sudanese army and the United Nations peacekeepers in May 2011 which resulted in the death of 22 Sudanese soldiers.

One day after the ambush, the Sudanese army controlled Abyei and reiterated that Abyei was a northern town, rejecting to withdraw the troops from the area.

However, on last May 28 the Sudanese army announced redeployment of its forces outside the Abyei area in response to an imitative by Thabo Mbeki, head of the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel on Sudan (AUHIP).

A referendum was scheduled to be held in Abyei to decide the fate of the area coincident with the referendum on self- determination for South Sudan in January 2011 which resulted in separation of the South, but the voting did not take place due to differences over who has the right to vote.