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Gold/Mining/Energy : TLM.TSE Talisman Energy -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: LARRY LARSON who wrote (281)	5/10/1999 12:10:00 PM
From: Tomas	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1713

Sudan's army denies reported abduction of oil workers KHARTOUM, May 10 (AFP) - The Sudanese armed forces have categorically denied that 23 oil workers, including Chinese nationals, have been aducted in the conflict-ridden south, the Al-Rai al-Aam daily reported Monday. Military spokesman General Mohamed Othman Yassin declared that a foreign media report that the workers were taken hostage during fighting last week in the Bentiu area of Al Wihda state were "false" and "untrue". "This allegation reflects wishes and dreams by the rebels that cannot materialise," Yassin said, referring to a statement reportedly issued by the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) from the Eritrean capital Asmara. According to reports, the rebel SPLA, fighting to free the mainly black, Christian and animist south from northern, Islamic domination since 1983, claimed to have abducted the oil workers with the help of a unit of the theoretically pro-government South Sudan Defence Force (SSDF). Assistant President and South Sudan Coordination Council Chairman Riek Machar, a former ally of SPLA leader Colonel John Garang, has acknowledged that clashes took place last week in Al Wihda state between men of his South Sudan Defence Force (SSDF) and government troops. However, Machar said the fighting was due to "an internal dispute over who is in charge of securing some locations". The pro-government Alwan daily last Thursday quoted Al Wihda state Governor Taaban Deng as saying there had been "casualties on both sides". "Political efforts and contacts are presently being made between the government and the SSDF for containment of those clashes," Machar said. He attributed the clashes to a delay in the formation of joint military committees between the government army and the SSDF under a 1997 peace pact. The SPLA last week claimed that "an insurrection has taken place in the ranks of Machar's forces, and clashes have opposed the Sudanese army and the insurgents, who attacked military posts in the vicinity of oil wells," in a statement received by AFP in Cairo. An SPLA spokesman, Yasser Armane, added: "SPLA forces are not present in the areas of Bentiu and Leer", where oil wells lie. At the weekend, Yassin said that the Al Wihda fighting between the SSDF on one side and Khartoum's troops and local militiamen led by Paulino Mateb on the other had been prompted by local commanders. They had not endangered local security and were "squarely resolved", while "those areas are now fully secured and the oil companies there are operating in an excellent manner," according to the spokesman.