Sudanese ministry of interior issues statement on Abyei incidents

The Ministry of Interior Sunday issued a press statement on the incident at Abyei area, announcing that 17 members of Messairya tribe were killed and other 12 of the tribe men were injured, two of the Dinka Ngok tribe members were killed including Sultan Kuwal Deng and one of the tribe was wounded and three of the Ethiopian force were killed. The Ministry of Interior has expressed its regret over the incident, calling on all parties to stick to self-restraint so that all tribes can enjoy security and peaceful co-existence. The statement pointed to the following details: -Convocation of a meeting of the joint committee for Abyei between delegations of Sudan and South Sudan State on May 2, 2013. Sudan delegation has left for Khartoum immediately after the meeting, while South Sudan delegation remained. -On May 4, 2013 a delegation of Dinka Ngok, led by Deputy Chairman of the Joint Committee, accompanied by Emir Kuwal Deng, the Emir (chieftain) of Dinka Ngok, under protection of the UN Interim Force for Abyei (UNISFA) headed by Maj. Gen. Johannes (Ethiopian), has visited the northern area of Abyei which is inhabited by Messairiya without getting permission from the observers. This area included Gole, Tajale and Dafra areas. -The delegation held a meeting with the southern observers and the commander of the camp. -At 04:00 p.m., a group of Messairiya youths aboard motorcycles called on the delegation to return their cattle that were looted by persons of Dinka Ngok. -The discussion lasted for three hours and quarrelling which ended by exchange of fire, a matter led to death 17 persons of Messairiya and the wounding of 12 of Messairiya, death of two persons of Dinka, including Emir Kuwal Deng, and the injuring one of Dinka and the death of one soldier of the Ethiopian force and the wounding of two of them, one of them died later. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Interior expressed its regret over the incident and called on all parties to stick to self-restraint till return of security and peaceful co-existence between the two parties who are linked to each other by strong historic ties.