Fighting between rival communities in a disputed region claimed by both Sudan and South Sudan has killed 54 people, including two UN peacekeepers, the United Nations said on Monday, calling for calm. One of the two peacekeepers was Pakistani, according to the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA). The clashes in Abyei, a contested oil-rich territory straddling the border of both countries, broke out at the weekend, according to local authorities. In a statement on Monday, the US, the UK and Norway \u2014 the international \u201ctroika\u201d that sponsored South Sudan\u2019s independence \u2014 said they were \u201cdeeply concerned by the escalation of violence in recent months between communities living in and around\u201d Abyei. \u201cAll leaders who have influence with involved communities and who fail to use it to support peace are demonstrating their disregard for the interests of their people,\u201d the troika said. The UNISFA said it \u201cstrongly condemns these attacks against civilians and peacekeepers. Currently, according to local authorities, 52 civilians have lost their lives, while 64 others are said to be gravely wounded.\u201d It said peacekeepers came under fire on Sunday \u201cwhile transporting affected civilians from a UNISFA base to a hospital\u201d. A Pakistani peacekeeper was killed, and \u201cfour uniformed personnel and one local civilian sustained injury\u201d, it explained. Earlier on Saturday, a Gha\u00adnaian peacekeeper was killed, UNISFA added, calling for an investigation into the violence. Located between Sudan and South Sudan, Abyei has been a flashpoint since the South gained independence in 2011. Rou Manyiel Rou, secretary general for the Abyei Special Admin\u00adistrative Area, said the violence was tied to a long-running \u201cconflict between (the) Ngok and Twic\u201d communities. The attacks follow clas\u00adhes in November last year that killed 32 people, including a UN peacekeeper. A regional UN envoy expressed concern in November that fighting within Sudan was drawing closer to the country\u2019s border with South Sudan and Abyei.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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