S. Sudan accuses Khartoum of raids

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JUBA, South Sudan, May 29 (UPI) -- South Sudan Tuesday accused Sudanese armed forces of conducting air raids on its territories on the eve of peace talks in Ethiopia, officials said.

Sudan and South Sudan are set to resume negotiations on post-referendum issues under the mediation of the African Union High Level Panel in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

"They [Sudan Armed Forces] are bombing South Sudan, attacking South Sudan and continuing to send armed groups to destabilize South Sudan. These are not the signs of peace," South Sudan's top negotiator, Pagan Amum, said.

The Sudan Tribune reported Col. Al-Sawarmi Khalid Sa'ad, a spokesman for the Sudanese military, denied South Sudan's accusations and challenged the government in Juba to prove them.

The newspaper said Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir and First Vice President Ali Osman Mohammed Taha held a meeting Monday with the country's negotiating delegation where Bashir gave the panel full authority to settle all agendas.