South Sudan Leader Demands Army Withdrawal from Abyei

South Sudanese leader Salva Kiir has called on President Omar al-Bashir to withdraw the national army from the disputed Abyei region. Kiir, who also serves as Bashir’s First Vice President, has ruled out a return to civil war despite alleging that increased numbers of northern troops were being deployed to the disputed region. Northern and Southern soldiers have in recent weeks clashed in the oil-rich region, which is claimed by both sides. [P.E]