Sudan has stopped all talks with South Sudan on ending a row over oil payments and other disputes after new fighting broke out in the oil-producing border area, Sudan's state radio said on Wednesday.

Khartoum would immediately withdraw its negotiating team from talks sponsored by the African Union in Addis Ababa and also order a general army mobilization, the radio said. It gave no further details.

Sudan earlier accused Juba of having attacked the disputed Heglig border area where Sudan controls a large oil field vital to its economy. South Sudan said its army had acted in self defense after being attacked by Sudanese forces from Heglig.

PHOTO CAPTION

A South Sudan soldier walks at a ruptured oil well in South Sudan's Unity State, March 3, 2012.

Agencies