North Sudan in control of Abyei

The Northern Sudanese Army says it has taken control of Abyei, a contested area on the border with southern Sudan.

Sudanese state television, based in Khartoum, said that northern troops had “repelled enemy forces” in Abyei town.

The move follows three days of clashes between northern and southern forces in the area.

The dispute over the oil-rich region is seen as a possible trigger for a new war. It comes weeks before the South is due to become independent.