Map showing Ruweng Administrative Area. | Courtesy.

A government official in Ruweng Administrative Area says the Sudanese Armed Forces gave the residents of Alel in Wunkur County a 72-hour ultimatum to leave the area, in an apparent fresh border dispute.

Ruweng Information Minister, James Arop told Eye Radio that the Rapid Support Forces of Sudan crossed the border last week and issued eviction ultimatum to the locales.

Alel town lies in Ruweng Administrative Area and hosts the headquarters of Wunkur County.

“There was a problem in the border between Sudan and South Sudan, those people (Sudanese army) gave us an ultimatum in the place called Alel to leave the area, and the area is just within the Ruweng Administrative area,” said the official.

Minister Arop said the ultimatum ended on Tuesday, although the local authorities are still dialoguing with Sudanese forces over the matter.

Arop said they have notified the national government over the matter.

Minister James Arop spoke to Eye Radio from Juba this morning.

“They gave us 72 hours but 72 have gone and people are talking with them, they came in large numbers and I think they want to do something, the area is in South Sudan within the Ruweng Administrative area, it’s between Jamjang County and Wunkur, Wunkur is currently inhabited by the rebel.”

The oil-rich Ruweng area borders Sudan’s Western Kordofan State.

It produces about 80% of South Sudan’s crude oil from its oil fields in  Darbim, in the southern part; Panthou in the north-western part, and Tomasouth-Kaloj in the western part of the area.

Others are Toor – Anthony oil field; Labob – Miading oil field; Munga- Wanhe Danluel oilfield, and Maan-Awal oil field, among others.

Ruweng is also rich in animal resources and fish resources, and it also is home to two lakes: Lake Jau and Lake No where Bahr el Ghazal River ends and joins the White Nile.