KHARTOUM - The Sudanese parliament decided on Wednesday to announce a general mobilization and stop negotiations with South Sudan following a large-scale attack by the South Sudanese army on the strategic region of Heglig on the borders between the two countries.

During a joint meeting with the Council of Governors, the parliament also decided an immediate withdrawal of the Sudanese negotiation team, which is currently holding talks with its South Sudanese counterpart under mediations of the African Union in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa.

The parliament said in a statement that the measures were taken in order "to confront the current security situation."