The northern rebels in the south are smaller but have sometimes caused havoc in Unity and Upper Nile states.

ECONOMIST: Sudan and South Sudan

It is deeply concerned about who controls the Nile waters, and does not want the creation of a new state on the upper Nile.

ECONOMIST: Sudan��s chance for peace

If war broke out, it would probably be fought in the disputed oil fields in the borderlands between north and south: in southern Kordofan, Abyei, Unity and the Upper Nile states (see map).

ECONOMIST: South Sudan

Jamam is one of three Upper Nile camps sheltering at least 113, 000 refugees who have crossed the frequently unmarked border to escape a counter-insurgency campaign in neighbouring Blue Nile state conducted by heavily armed Sudanese government troops.

ECONOMIST: A refugee crisis is miserably taking shape

" A report by the UN Special Rapporteur on Sudan last October reinforces these assessments, "The oil issue and the extremely volatile situation prevailing in western Upper Nile are clearly at the core of the armed conflict in the Sudan and have particularly dire consequences for peace.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Center For Security Policy

The heat got us moving the next morning, and we jammed into a boksi, a brightly-painted pickup fitted with benches, heading north to where we planned to rejoin the Nile and find traces of the upper reaches of the ancient Egyptian Empire.

WSJ: A Father-Son Vacation in Sudan, Africa

Egypt's upper house of parliament is receiving 90 new members Sunday morning, according to state-run Nile TV.

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