S. Sudan gov't declared enemy by Khartoum

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KHARTOUM, Sudan, April 16 (UPI) -- After an attack on Sudanese territory last week, it's apparent that the real enemy of Khartoum is the South Sudanese government, an official said.

South Sudan gained independence in July as part of a peace agreement that ended one of the bloodiest conflicts since World War II.

South Sudanese forces last week seized control of Heglig in disputed territory along its northern border. The conflict comes as both sides draw closer to war over skirmishes over oil and border territories.

Rabbie Abd al-Attie, a senior adviser to the Sudanese Information Ministry, told the BBC that South Sudan's ruling party was declared an enemy of the state.

"After the invasion of Heglig we know the real enemy is the Sudan People's Liberation Movement," he said. "It is not the people of the south but the government that is the real enemy and we know how to confront them."

South Sudanese President Salva Kiir last week said he wasn't obligated to respect U.N. calls to withdraw his forces from the border region. The U.N. Security Council, in a statement, expressed "deep and growing alarm" over the conflict.

Both sides were called on by the United Nations to find a peaceful and immediate solution to their differences, including measures detailed in the 2005 peace deal.

Khartoum and Juba canceled April peace talks as the conflict intensified.