Sudan rebels, army clash in oil state

Rebels clashed with Sudanese government forces in the oil-producing border state of South Kordofan during an Islamic holiday this week, both sides said, each claiming victory over the other.
Sudan's regions bordering newly-independent South Sudan have been convulsed by conflict since last year, forcing hundreds of thousands of people to flee their homes, according to the United Nations.
The rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement North (SPLM-N) said it fought off government "forces and militias" that attacked a village near the Abu Kershola settlement in South Kordofan's northeast on Wednesday. Fighting also reported on Thursday and Friday in the al-Murib area, the rebels said in a statement.