Nenad Marinkovic's blog

BENTIU, South Sudan – On April 29, the 4^th division of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army, or SPLA, operating around Panakuac—a South Sudanese town in northern Unity state, located about 23 kilometers away from Heglig where SPLA troops recently withdrew—came under attack from Sudan Armed Forces, or SAF.  I, along with a group of international journalists embedded within the 4^th division, was caught in the crossfire.  Read More »

For nearly 10 days following South Sudan’s military occupation of the disputed oil-rich area of Heglig, Sudan and South Sudan were on the verge of war. On Friday, April 20, the Sudan People’s Liberation Army, or SPLA, announced its withdrawal from Heglig, a move regarded by the international community as a positive step toward diffusing tensions between South Sudan and Sudan. However, the two countries are not any nearer to achieving a lasting peace as the Sudan Armed Forces, or SAF, continue to carry out aerial and ground attacks on territory in South Sudan, yesterday reaching a crescendo with the bombing of Bentiu, the capital of Unity state.  Read More »

Once again, relations between Sudan and South Sudan are teetering on the brink of war. Over the past week, fighting along the border between the two nations, and aerial bombardment by the Sudanese Armed Forces, or SAF, deep into the territory of South Sudan have nearly destroyed rising hopes that the two countries would strike a deal in the near future on outstanding disputes. However, some hope still lives on in Juba, the capital of South Sudan, where officials cling to the possibility that Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir will proceed with his visit to Juba on April 3 for a tête-à-tête with South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir.  Read More »

While the government of South Sudan is pondering the best way to tackle growing insecurity and prospects of persistent inter-communal hostility, the restive state of Jonglei, the scene of the recent deadly clashes, is enveloped in fear, anxiety, and anticipation of likely reprisal attacks—a situation which, if not handled sensibly, may escalate.  Read More »

The long-standing Lou Nuer-Murle feud in Jonglei state claimed the lives of a large number of civilians when some 6,000 Lou Nuer youth attacked the rival Murle in Pibor town at the end of December and early January. United Nations officials in the country cannot provide the exact number of people killed, but the U.N. estimates that 140,000 people were affected by the violence.

Some 70 Murle and 88 Lou Nuer are housed at the Juba Teaching Hospital, undergoing treatement. These patients, among the most severely injured, are a stark reminder of the challenges the new South Sudanese nation faces.  Read More »

On February 1, Sudan Armed Forces, or SAF, bombed a school in the village of Heiban in South Kordofan on the first day of classes. Eyewitnesses report that eight bombs were dropped and two landed inside the school compound destroying two buildings. No injuries were reported, even though the school was full of students, an outcome the church group that built and supports the school called “a miracle.”  Read More »

The U.N.’s top humanitarian official, Valerie Amos, visited some scenes of the recent bloodshed in South Sudan yesterday and expressed concern about what she said is a deepening humanitarian crisis. Amos’ four-day visit to South Sudan comes on the heels of inter-tribal clashes in Jonglei state where about 140,000 people have been affected by the fighting.  Read More »

George Athor, a former senior officer in the Sudan People’s Liberation Army, or SPLA, was killed Monday night in a two-hour firefight with the government forces in Marobo County in Central Equatoria state. Athor was one of the most powerful rebel leaders in South Sudan, but perhaps more than anything, his death draws attention to a major challenge the new country faces: the threat of renegade commanders and the fighters they mobilize.  Read More »

A political showdown in Sudan is imminent as both the ruling National Congress Party, or NCP, and the newly formed Sudan Revolutionary Front, or SRF, attempt to enlist more support from undecided opposition parties in Sudan. Soon enough all Sudanese political parties may face a dilemma: either accept the ruling NCP government or become part of the opposition coalition—a political contest that may have the potential to divide the country into two major political forces.  Read More »

Less than two hours after South Sudan's President Salva Kiir Mayardit concluded an address to the media and diplomatic core in Juba today, news broke out of yet another bombing by Sudan Armed Forces, or SAF, on South Sudan territory, which Enough reported on earlier today. At the briefing, Salva Kiir warned over escalation of conflict in the bordering areas.  Read More »