Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the head of UN peacekeeping operations, urged South Sudan on Tuesday, May 7th, to withdraw its troops from the Abyei region. This area, situated on the border with Sudan, remains disputed between the two countries and is the scene of a highly violent conflict between the communities on either side. These clashes are compounded by other tensions that plague this oil-rich region, where several thousand peacekeepers are deployed.
Jean-Pierre Lacroix’s appeal comes amidst a particularly tense situation. The head of UN peacekeeping operations asserts that the presence of South Sudanese armed forces in Abyei risks “fueling tensions in the region.” Indeed, according to the UN, South Sudanese soldiers have been positioned in the southern part of Abyei since 2022.
However, the spokesperson for the South Sudanese army, Lul Ruai Koang, denies any military deployment in Abyei, instead referring to the establishment of a “buffer zone” along the border. The chief of the South Sudanese army, Santino Deng Wol, is currently on site, leading a high-level security delegation to “promote peace and reconciliation,” according to the spokesperson.
This conflict pits two Dinka communities, the Ngok of Abyei and the Twic from the Warrap State in South Sudan, against each other.
Old disputes over border demarcation are at the root of this conflict – grievances that “some have diverted for political purposes,” reveals a source. In late December, Noon Deng Nyok, the deputy administrator of Abyei, was killed in an ambush by armed youths. Additionally, two peacekeepers were killed in an attack on their base at the end of January.