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Violent clashes in the disputed Sudanese oil town of Abyei have caused thousands to flee and left at least one person dead, according to Sudanese officials.
The incident is the first significant outbreak of violence in the central Sudanese region since dozens were killed in fighting between northern and southern troops in May.
Reports say an argument broke out between soldiers and a market trader, and shots were fired after the police attempted to intervene. One northern soldier is believed to have been killed in the incident, and reports suggest nine other people were also injured.
A 13-hour overnight curfew was imposed after the trouble intensified, with gunfire being heard across the town. The UN issued a statement condemning the incident, and strongly urged the parties to avoid any further violence.
Around 10,000 residents are believed to have returned to the area to rebuild their homes after the fighting in May, but sources say around 90% of those in the town have fled again.
There were serious concerns that May's fighting, which left over 50,000 people homeless, would plunge Sudan into a major civil war. The clashes began after an incident at a checkpoint which escalated because of long-standing tensions in the area dating back to a two-decade civil war between the north and south.
The fighting ended after a peace deal was agreed in 2005, but there was no resolution to boundary issues over the oil-rich area. The north and south both claim the area as their own, and demarcation of the region has been the basis for much of the recent trouble.
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