.- At least 20 people were killed in a gun battle between Sudanese troops in a southern city, the military said, warning there was a risk of more clashes as the country divided his forces before South Sudan's independence from Khartoum. Clashes with mortars and machine guns erupted on Thursday in Malakal and further incidents occurred on Friday when part of an Army unit refused to redeploy to their guns to the north, in a process of disengagement before the secession of South Sudan .
An overwhelming majority of residents of oil-rich south voted to secede from the north in a referendum in January, according to preliminary results released this week. The referendum was promised in a 2005 peace agreement that ended decades of civil war between north and south, which generated strong disputes between tribes and ethnic conflict that left deep scars.
Military leaders of North and South have yet to reach a consensus on how to share the military and their equipment - in addition to oil resources and debt - rather than the south is split, which is expected on July 9 . Many fear that tensions resurface during negotiations. "This morning the number killed (Malakal) has risen to 20 and this could change at any time.
Searches continue as many are injured (...) Both sides fired mortars and machine guns were used, "said military spokesman Philip Aguer South. Among the dead were two children and a Sudanese driver refugee agency UN , UNHCR, said on Friday. 
An overwhelming majority of residents of oil-rich south voted to secede from the north in a referendum in January, according to preliminary results released this week. The referendum was promised in a 2005 peace agreement that ended decades of civil war between north and south, which generated strong disputes between tribes and ethnic conflict that left deep scars.
Military leaders of North and South have yet to reach a consensus on how to share the military and their equipment - in addition to oil resources and debt - rather than the south is split, which is expected on July 9 . Many fear that tensions resurface during negotiations. "This morning the number killed (Malakal) has risen to 20 and this could change at any time.
Searches continue as many are injured (...) Both sides fired mortars and machine guns were used, "said military spokesman Philip Aguer South. Among the dead were two children and a Sudanese driver refugee agency UN , UNHCR, said on Friday.
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