Government officials in Sudan's semi-autonomous south say Saturday fighting within the army has killed at least 13 people, including civilians and soldiers.
Authorities say the violence erupted in the oil-rich Unity State Friday between bodyguards of the state's governor and troops loyal to army General Paulino Matip.
Government officials say the clashes stem from an argument that escalated into violence.
The infighting comes as southern Sudan's ruling party (Sudan Peoples' Liberation Movement, SPLM) seeks to reclaim a major oil field in Unity State. An arbitration court granted the land where the oil field is located to the northern-based national government in a July ruling.
Southern Sudan is also scheduled to vote on independence from the North in a 2011 referendum. The independence vote is part of a 2005 peace deal between the north and the south that ended 21 years of civil war.
Some information for this report provided by AP and AFP.
