KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Arab tribesmen attacked a village in Sudan's highly charged Abyei border region, killing one civilian and injuring another, the territory's chief administrator said on Sunday.
Tensions are mounting in Abyei ahead of a referendum due in January 2011 on whether the territory should join south Sudan -- an oil-producing region that is preparing for a separate plebiscite on whether to split off as an independent country.
Abyei, which is close to key oil fields and includes rich pasture land, is used by two main groups, the Dinka Ngok, linked to south Sudan's Dinka people, and nomadic Misseriya Arabs, associated with the north.
Some Misseriya leaders fear they would lose their grazing grounds if Abyei moved to the south -- even though the southern government has promised to let nomads cross borders.
"There was a Misseriya attack on the village of Maker, 12 miles (19 km) north of Abyei town on Saturday morning," Abyei chief administrator of Deng Arop Kuol said.
