Sudanese Interior Minister Visits Juba
Sudanese Interior Minister Ibrahim Mohamed Hamed visited Juba Monday for talks with South Sudanese officials, aimed at moving forward agreements between the two countries.
Hamed's visit came two weeks after a summit in Khartoum between South Sudanese President Salva Kiir and his Sudanese counterpart Omar al Bashir, where the two leaders pledged to resolve long-running disputes between the two neighbors and honor an agreement on cross-border oil exports.
"We think that South Sudan and Sudan are the nearest African countries to each other because we were one country and our citizens have mutual interests," Hamed said.
Although relations appear to be improving between the two Sudans, Khartoum and Juba remain at odds over the Abyei region, on the border between them. The African Union has called for a referendum next month to determine Abyei's status but Sudan is opposed to holding the popular vote, saying it would not take into account Sudanese nomads who live in Abyei. - Lucy Poni
7 Arrested Over Nimule Chief Slaying
Police in the South Sudanese border town of Nimule have arrested seven men suspected in the killing of traditional chief George Ajugo Levio, who was shot and killed while heading home one night two weeks ago.
The suspects include Sudan’s former ambassador to Zimbabwe, Angelo Vuga Morgan. The names of the other six suspects have not been released. All seven were still being questioned Monday by security officers, officials said. - Philip Thon Aleu
