Officials said six battalions, or about 2,500 troops, were deployed in South Kordofan. They said military buildup began in mid-November 2008 in wake of rebel attacks, particularly by the Justice and Equality Movement, around Abyei.

"The aim is to stop the feverish attempts of JEM to transfer its activities to the state of South Kordofan," another Sudanese official told the official Sudanese News Agency.

Officials said JEM has been sending troops from Darfour to South Kordofan in what appeared to mark preparations for a new rebel offensive. They said JEM has sought to expand operations from Darfour to strategic areas around Sudan. In May 2008, JEM sent thousands of fighters to attack Khartoum.

A Khartoum government statement said the military deployment was not aimed against the southern-based Sudanese People's Liberation Army. SPLA has accused Khartoum of violating its peace agreement in 2005.

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