Sudanese president issues decree dividing South Kordofan into 2 states

Sudanese president on Friday issued a republican decree dividing South Kordofan State, which is witnessing clashes between the Sudanese army and rebels of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM)/northern sector, into two separate states, official SUNA news agency reported. The agency said that president Omar al-Bashir issued a decree, according to which the western part of South Kordofan region, which is dwelled by the Arab Miseria tribe, has become West Kordofan State -- a state which was cancelled following the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005 which ended the civil war between north and south Sudan. The president also accepted the resignation of South Kordofan State Governor Ahmed Haroun and North Kordofan State Governor Mutasim Merghani Zaki-Eddin, and appointed three new governors, including Ahmed Haroun for North Kordofan State, Adam Al-Faki Ahmed Al-Tayeb for South Kordofan and Maj. Gen. Ahmed Khamis Bakheet for West Kordofan State, according to the report. West Kordofan State includes most of the Sudanese oil fields.