Thousands flee north-south clashes in Sudan oil town

ABYEI, Sudan (Reuters) - Thousands of civilians fledclashes between Sudan's former north-south civil war foes inthe oil-rich central town of Abyei on Thursday, local officialssaid.

The clashes, sparked by a local dispute, highlight thetension in an area claimed by both Khartoum and South Sudan.More than three years after a 2005 peace deal, they have notagreed on borders or a local government for the region.

Sporadic gunfire could be heard on the second day ofclashes and smoke rose from the town.

"Most of the civilians have left town. There are about25,000 east of Abyei," said Malony Tong, a local official fromthe former southern rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement(SPLM). "It is not calm".

Around 50 civilians sought refuge at the gates of the U.N.peacekeeping compound and were eventually allowed to enter.International U.N. staff were being evacuated.

Moussa Malei, deputy administrator of Abyei, said the twosides had agreed to deploy joint units to the centre of town toact as a buffer between the two sides.

"The orders have been given for the JIUs (joint integratedunits) to go into the middle of town," he said. But as thehigh-level meeting between the former north-south foes ended,heavy shelling could be heard.

Tensions have been high for months between South Sudan andKhartoum over delays in implementing the 2005 peace deal. Eachside accuses the other of stalling.

The SPLM says more than $1 billion (514 million pounds) inoil revenues from Abyei has been taken by the ruling NationalCongress Party rather than shared with the south as the peacedeal prescribes.

But despite the clashes in Abyei, north-south relationshave improved markedly since an unprecedented attack by Darfurrebels on Khartoum at the weekend, when South Sudan offeredmilitary help to the government.

The 2005 peace deal did not cover Sudan's western Darfurregion, where war broke out in 2003.

Sudan has suffered decades of conflict between Khartoum andfar-flung regions that complain of neglect and discriminationby the traditionally Arab-dominated central government.

Clashes along the north-south border have continued despitethe 2005 accord and have killed hundreds of people in the pastyear. A lack of discipline among ex-rebels and pro-Khartoummilitias means fighting can easily flare up.

Some 2 million people died in the war between mainly Muslimnorth Sudan and the largely Christian and animist south.

International experts believe 200,000 have died as a resultof the war in Darfur, where Muslim but non-Arab Darfuris tookup arms in 2003. The government says only 10,000 people havedied.

The Darfuri Justice and Equality Movement brought theregional conflicts to the capital for the first time onSaturday in an attack which killed more than 200 people. Sudanblamed Chad for the assault and cut diplomatic relations.

The Greater Nile Petroleum Operation Company (GNPOC), aconsortium led by China's CNPC, India's ONGC and Malaysia'sPetronas, operates in Abyei. Experts say oil production hasdeclined in the past few years.

(Writing by Opheera McDoom; editing by Andrew Roche)