Second Sudanese Civil War

Second Sudanese Civil War
Conflict	Second Sudanese Civil War
Partof	the Sudanese Civil Wars and the Cold War
Date	5 June 1983 – 9 January 2005, ()
Place	Southern Sudan, Blue Nile, Nuba Mountains, Abyei
Result	Stalemate; Comprehensive Peace Agreement
Combatant1	Government of Sudan:, • Sudanese Armed Forces, • Popular Defence Forces, Supported by:, • Libya (until 1990s), • Iran (until 1991)
Combatant2	Rebel groups:, • Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), • Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM), Supported by:, • Uganda, • Ethiopia (until 1991), • Eritrea (from 1993), • Israel
Commander1	Gaafar Nimeiry (until 1985), Abdel Rahman Swar al-Dahab (1985–1986), Sadiq al-Mahdi (1986–1989), Omar al-Bashir (from 1989), Ali Osman Taha
Commander2	John Garang, Salva Kiir Mayardit, Riek Machar (split 1991–2002), Lam Akol (split 1991–2002)
Casualties3	Estimated 1–2.5 million dead (mostly civilians from war-induced famine and disease)

Second Sudanese Civil War was a protracted and devastating conflict fought between the central government in Khartoum and the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA). It reignited long-standing tensions over resources, religion, and self-determination, primarily affecting the southern regions and marginalized areas like the Nuba Mountains and Blue Nile. The war resulted in catastrophic loss of life and displacement before concluding with the landmark Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005.

Background and causes

The roots of the conflict lay in the unresolved issues from the First Sudanese Civil War, which ended with the Addis Ababa Agreement (1972). Resentment grew in the south over the perceived failure of Gaafar Nimeiry's government to honor the agreement's promises of autonomy. The imposition of sharia law nationwide through the September Laws in 1983, alongside plans to redraw regional boundaries and control newly discovered oil reserves in the south, were immediate catalysts. These actions were viewed by many southerners and non-Arab groups in regions like the Nuba Mountains as a program of enforced Arabization and Islamization by the northern elite.

Course of the war

The war began in May 1983 when battalion 105 of the Sudanese Armed Forces in Bor mutinied, an event that led to the formation of the Sudan People's Liberation Army under John Garang. Major early battles included the SPLA's capture of Nasir and operations around Malakal. The conflict was characterized by fluid front lines, sieges of major towns like Juba and Wau, and brutal counter-insurgency campaigns. A major schism occurred in 1991 when commanders Riek Machar and Lam Akol split from Garang, leading to internecine fighting among southern factions, most notably the 1991 Bor massacre. The government's military strategy often involved aerial bombardment and supporting rival militias like the Murle-based Cobra Faction.

Foreign involvement and support

The war drew significant regional and international involvement, partly due to its overlap with the late Cold War. The SPLA initially received backing from the Marxist Derg regime in Ethiopia, allowing it to use bases in Gambela Region. After the fall of the Derg, support came from Eritrea and Uganda, the latter concerned about cross-border raids by the Lord's Resistance Army which was backed by Khartoum. The Sudanese government was supported by Libya under Muammar Gaddafi and Iran until the early 1990s, later receiving technical assistance from China and purchasing weapons from Russia. Israel also provided clandestine support to the SPLA.

Humanitarian impact and famine

The humanitarian consequences were catastrophic, ranking among the worst of the late 20th century. Warfare and deliberate obstruction of aid precipitated severe famines, most notably the 1998 Sudan famine in the region of Bahr el Ghazal. Government restrictions on Operation Lifeline Sudan and the systematic targeting of civilian infrastructure exacerbated suffering. Mass displacement was immense, with over 4 million people forced from their homes, many becoming internally displaced around cities like Khartoum or fleeing as refugees to camps in Kenya, Uganda, and Ethiopia.

Peace process and the Comprehensive Peace Agreement

Serious peace efforts gained momentum in the early 2000s, driven by intense diplomatic pressure from the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the United States following the September 11 attacks, and regional actors. Key milestones included the Machakos Protocol of 2002, which established the right of southern self-determination, and subsequent agreements on wealth-sharing and security arrangements. These negotiations culminated in the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement on 9 January 2005 in Nairobi, mediated by figures like Lazaro Sumbeiywo. The CPA created the Government of Southern Sudan with John Garang as its first president.

Aftermath and consequences

The immediate aftermath was marked by the tragic death of John Garang in a helicopter crash in July 2005, after which Salva Kiir Mayardit assumed leadership. The CPA's six-year interim period led to the 2011 South Sudanese independence referendum, where an overwhelming majority voted for secession, resulting in the creation of the Republic of South Sudan on 9 July 2011. However, unresolved issues, particularly the status of the border region of Abyei and conflicts in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile State, sowed the seeds for future instability. The war's legacy directly contributed to the outbreak of the South Sudanese Civil War in 2013 and continued conflict in Darfur.

Category:Wars involving Sudan Category:History of South Sudan Category:Civil wars in Africa