Sudanese army says 938 soldiers killed during Higlieg battlefront

Sudanese army has disclosed that 938 soldiers of Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) -- South Sudan’s army-- and Darfur rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) were killed during battles of restoration of Higlieg oil area. “The Sudanese army has managed to kill 938 soldiers and dispersed seven battalions of the SPLA and JEM; and arrested many of their commanders during the battles of restoration of Higlieg,” Maj. General Kamal Abdul-Marouf, Sudanese army commander who led Higlieg battle, was quoted as saying by Khartoum’s Al Sudani. “The Sudanese armed forces have led fierce hand battles with the enemy inside the town to avoid harming oil facilities with fire arms,” he added, noting that the Sudanese army has confiscated most of the weapons used by the SPLA during the battle.The Sudanese government on Friday announced liberation of the oil-rich area of Higlieg which had been seized by the SPLA. Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir said that the Sudanese army has “forcibly” restored Higlieg area, insisting that South Sudan forces have fled and not voluntarily withdrawn as South Sudan government claimed.In a related development, Al Ray Al Am daily reported that Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has summoned representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Khartoum to consult on measures to bury the bodies of SPLA soldiers who were killed during the battle in Higlieg. The ministry said it made the move in commitment to international and humanitarian laws, namely the four Geneva agreements and the annex and protocol related to international conflicts, adding that the two sides have agreed to follow the procedures stipulated in those agreements.Meanwhile, the Sudanese Oil Ministry has embarked on working out necessary arrangements to resume the oil pumping from Higlieg oil fields after liberation of the area, according to Khartoum’s Al Ray Al Am daily. Sudanese State Minister for Oil Ishaq Bashir said that the oil pumping from Higlieg would resume very soon, adding that operating the oil fields and oil facilities would begin in coordination with Sudanese Armed Forces, the paper reported.The minister further expected the Higlieg oil fields to enter the production circle as soon as possible after the completion of required technical revisions at oil facilities and after the armed forces end land mines examinations. The Sudanese Oil Ministry has earlier decided to send a technical team to Higlieg area to evaluate the damage on the oil facilities after restoring the area from South Sudan’s SPLA forces. The ministry also said earlier that Sudan has lost 30 percent from its oil production due to the war between the Sudanese army and South Sudan army in Higlieg area.