Sudan warned its Southern neighbour yesterday over widening “aggression” as the South alleged fresh clashes despite an African Union peace initiative.

Plan by the South to continue the war and disturb peace

“The government of Sudan confirms that South Sudan and its army are working to widen the aggression and occupy some disputed points and areas by force,” Khartoum’s foreign ministry said in a statement.

The statement came more than a week after South Sudanese soldiers said they had completed a withdrawal from Sudan’s main oil region of Heglig, which they occupied for 10 days in a move that coincided with Sudanese air strikes across the border in South Sudan.

Sudan’s military said it forced the Southerners out of Heglig. It was the most serious fighting in a month of border clashes and raised fears of wider war.

Allegations of clashes have continued even after the Heglig occupation ended.

In its statement, the foreign ministry said South Sudanese troops on Monday occupied a disputed area on the border of Sudan’s Darfur and South Sudan’s Western Bahr el-Ghazal state.

This came a day after the South took over another disputed point on the Darfur border, the ministry added. It said the South has “a plan to continue the war and disturb peace and security and stability along the border between Sudan and South Sudan.” Each side denies backing rebels on the other’s territory in a proxy war after failing to settle outstanding issues over contested territory, oil revenues and borders.

The South became independent last July after an overwhelming “yes” vote under a 2005 peace deal that ended a 22-year civil war.

Yesterday, the South’s army said Sudanese troops and allied militias clashed with South Sudanese troops along the disputed border.

“Sudanese forces, militias and mercenaries attacked our positions in Hofra in the oil region of Unity state,” Southern army spokesman Philip Aguer said. It was not possible to independently verify the situation.

Southern troops “repulsed the attackers” and captured three trucks, Aguer said, adding soldiers were preparing for an assault believed planned by Sudan.