South Sudan Accuses Sudan of Building Illegal Pipeline - Wall Street Journal

By NICHOLAS BARIYO

KAMPALA, Uganda—South Sudan accused Sudan of attempting to build an illegal pipeline across the border to access oil fields in South Sudan's Unity state, in the latest escalation of the rift between the two oil-producing nations.

The 25-kilometer pipeline was discovered by South Sudanese troops during recent clashes with Sudan, along their poorly defined border, Col. Philip Aguer, spokesman for the South Sudan army, said late Saturday.

"It seems they (Sudan) wanted to use this pipeline to facilitate the stealing of South Sudanese oil" he said, adding that troops also had seized two excavators and other machinery being used to build the pipeline.

A Sudanese government spokesman couldn't be reached.

In recent weeks, Sudan and South Sudan forces have been embroiled in the worst clashes along their 1,800-kilometer-long border since the south's secession last summer. South Sudan retained at least 75% of Sudan's oil fields following the secession, but the two continue to bicker over how much the south should pay to use Sudanese pipelines and ports.

The latest accusation underscores a worsening mistrust over oil fields that straddle the two countries' common border, threatening to spark the resumption of a full-scale civil war.

Sudan was using a foreign company to build, Col. Aguer said. He declined to name the company.

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