Sudan: CFR Expert Brief
from Africa in Transition

Sudan: CFR Expert Brief

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Sudan

Wars and Conflict

A patrol from the international peacekeeping operation passes a destroyed UN truck that was part of a convoy transporting northern soldiers out of the Abyei area in the Todach area, north of Abyei town, in this handout picture released by the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) May 30, 2011. (Ho New/Courtesy Reuters)

The situation in Abyei has developed into a tense standoff. The North’s ultimatum that southern forces withdraw from disputed regions by June 1 has passed, and thousands of Sudanese People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) soldiers remain above border between northern and southern Sudan. Predictably, Khartoum’s  May 21 seizure of Abyei has also created a dire humanitarian situation. Preliminary figures indicate that at least 116 civilians have died during the conflict, and that number is likely to grow. More than forty-five thousand Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) have registered with the UN, with some reports indicating an additional thirty-five thousand people have yet to reach Warrap State. Poor weather due to seasonal rains has also slowed aid to the region.

Earlier this week, I analyzed Abyei’s seizure in an CFR Expert Brief, “Why Sudan’s Peace Is in Jeopardy.” The report, which includes a CFR video on the situation in Sudan, is available here.

More on:

Sudan

Wars and Conflict