Tribal leader killed in Sudan's disputed Abyei

A prominent tribal leader in the disputed Sudanese territory of Abyei has been shot dead in an incident involving a rival Arab militia. Kual Deng Majok, the chief of the Dinka ethnic group, was killed during a stand-off between the Arab Misseriya militia and UN peacekeepers. Sources told Arabstoday that Majok was heading north from Abyei town with UNISFA peacekeepers, when a group of Misseriya stopped them about seven kilometres from the Sudanese oil fields, and told them to leave the area immediately. The sources explained that Arab Misseriya leaders had been banned from entering parts of Abyei under the governorship of Majok. Sourced confirmed that after brief negotiations, violence broke out when a UNISFA soldier shot one of the Misseriya who was readying his weapon. During the exchange, the Dinka leader's car was hit by an explosion and he and his driver were killed. Majok was travelling with UNISFA commander Yohannes Tesfamariam, who was reportedly unhurt. Political sources said that Ethiopian peacekeeping forces surrounded the area with 40 armoured vehicles, and exchanged fire with the Misseriya fighters. Five militiamen were killed in the attack and seven others wounded. Five UN peacekeepers were also killed, and 17 suffered injuries.      The status of Abyei has not been resolved despite steps which Sudan and South Sudan have taken since March to normalise their relations in other areas, after months of intermittent clashes along their undemarcated frontier. Abyei's status was the most sensitive issue left unsettled when South Sudan separated from Sudan in 2011. The territory was to hold a referendum in January 2011 on whether it belonged with the north or South, but disagreement on who could vote stalled the ballot.