Sudan's Southern Rebellion: The "Two Areas"
Angelia Sanders
Desk Officer, Northeast Africa
angelia.sanders@cimicweb.org
This document discusses the “Two Areas” of South Kordofan and Blue Nile states as they relate to security in the southern region of Sudan. A background on the history of the conflicts in the two states is provided in addition to information on the resulting humanitarian crisis. Related information is available at www.cimicweb.org. Hyper-links to source material are highlighted in blue and underlined in the text. All maps are hyperlinked to their source locations.
Introduction
South Kordofan state and Blue Nile state, sometimes referred to as the “Two Areas”, are located along Su-dan’s volatile southern border with South Sudan. These areas experienced decades of armed conflict as the South Sudanese fought for independence; witnessing the deaths of many and the displacement of hundreds of thousands. Fighting in the region briefly ceased in Janu-ary 2005 with the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA); however, following the end of the CPA-stipulated period in 2011, both areas devolved into open conflict, resulting in more than 600 deaths1, the displacement of hundreds of thousands and a large-scale humanitarian crisis along the border with South Sudan. This report will outline the rebel groups active within the two areas, the current status of the conflict in the region and the humanitarian impacts of the conflict.