Fresh fighting between Sudanese forces and the South Sudanese army (SPLA) on the border between both countries has killed an unconfirmed amount of people on Wednesday, 26 December.
Casualty reports vary between eight and 28 deaths in the area of Warguet, also known to Arab tribes as Samaha. At least 50 people of the Rizeigat tribe originating from East Darfur were wounded.
The area along the river Bahr al Arab, also known as the River Kiir, is currently under control of the South Sudan army (SPLA), who is claiming the area is part of Northern Bahr al Ghazal of South Sudan. Sudan, on its turn, is also claiming control of it asserting it belongs to the state of East Darfur.
Members of the Rizeigat tribe who inhabit the area are asking the international community to prevent the escalation of a full-scale war. A leader of the Rizeigat shura council, Mohamed Isa Aleu, confirmed he counted four dead bodies and tens of people wounded.
He also reported about a huge military build-up by the Sudan Armed Forces. “The SPLA has been shelling us from a distance of around 20 kilometers. We have been asking the government of Khartoum to solve the issue in a political way. For us, the river Bahr al Arab is the only source for drinking water for the cattle. The situation becomes a matter of life or death for us in the coming months”.
Sources among the villagers in the area of Samaha said the ground attacks were severe. An eyewitness told Radio Dabanga: “At least 25 people are confirmed dead. Ten people were injured, and another eight sustained severe injuries. We are afraid some might lose their limbs. We are hoping an airplane will transfer the people to a hospital in Khartoum”.
A spokesman of the Rizeigat tribe said that the entire population is asking for a quick intervention of the international community to prevent the occurrence of a full-scale war between Sudan and South Sudan. “We hope that the African Union and the United Nations will act fast, otherwise we might be caught in the middle of another war”.
SPLA blames SAF
The spokesman of the SPLA, Colonel Philip Aguer, blamed the Khartoum government for starting the hostilities in the border area.
He said: “Today 26 December the Sudan Armed Forces launched a ground attack on the SPLM base in Warguet, which was supported by air bombardments carried out concurrently between 8 and 12 o’ clock. The Antonov dropped 11 bombs in the morning and another 14 around noon.”
According to the SPLA the southern army defeated the SAF of Khartoum and let them move back beyond Meiram (village in South Kordofan), but it could not prevent the killing of two women and one child. The SPLA claims the area belongs to the South, mentioning the recent agreement between them and the SAF in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
“The intention of this aggression is unknown, but the SPLA has been monitoring the other side of the border and the River Kiir before this unjustified attack took place today. Khartoum's forces have been trying to occupy this area of Warguet. But the SPLA will continue to frustrate them", the southern army’s spokesman added.
"We expect this not to be the last attack on Warguet, since it is the third one. The SPLA is taking precautions for another attack that Khartoum may plan,” Aguer told Radio Dabanga.
Previous escalations
In May 2012 the situation in Warguet also became tense after the SLPA accused the SAF for bombing its territory. Although independent verification in the area was not possible, only fighting north of the river was confirmed by independent sources. The area is inaccessible for civilians.
Church visitors authored a report on the situation in Warguet in December 2011 and noticed by then that Warguet and other areas on the south bank of the Bahr El Arab/Kiir River were highly militarized.
Warguet is described as a 'military barrack' of the 3rd Division of South Sudan's army.
Bishop Abraham Yel Nhial led the visit together with military chaplains in order to provide spiritual encouragement to soldiers. He traveled in an army convoy to reach Warguet "because the whole area was not secure", according to the report by the Episcopal Diocese of Aweil.
"This place is a very dangerous and fearful place, even those who have heavy machines hardly come here... it is a dangerous place, only for soldiers," said Lt. Col. Gabriel Door, a commander at Warguet, as quoted in the diocesan report.
According to a detailed map authored by geographers at the University of Bern Centre for Development and Environment Geoprocessing Unit -who for years have mapped Sudan and South Sudan- the village 'War Guit' lies just about five kilometers south of the Bahr El Arab/Kiir River along the Wau-Babanusa railway.
The picture shows the Kiirkou Bridge on the Bahr El Arab/Kiir River, just north of Warguet.
Newer articles:
- Situation border Sudan and South Sudan 'quiet but tense' - Radio Dabanga - 27/12/2012 14:06
- All Share Services - Salon - 27/12/2012 11:20
- South Sudan 'armed groups' attack disputed border area - Global Times - 27/12/2012 11:16
- Modern technology helps meet the needs of refugees in South Sudan - UNHCR (press release) - 27/12/2012 09:46
- South Sudan admits it downed UN helicopter, killing four - defenceWeb - 26/12/2012 15:20
Older news items
- UN Says South Sudan Threatens Its Peacekeeping Mission - New York Times - 23/12/2012 21:50
- UN Helicopter In South Sudan Shot Down - International Business Times - 23/12/2012 17:31
- Looking back at 2012 — our trip to Sudan and South Sudan with Reverend ... - Gretawire (blog) - 23/12/2012 17:14
- Looks Like South Sudan's Shooting Down UN Helicopters As A Matter Of Policy ... - Business Insider - 23/12/2012 08:24
- Russian diplomat expresses hope South Sudan will be quick to probe deadly ... - Russia Beyond The Headlines - 22/12/2012 14:57
Latest news items (all categories):
- UNDP and the Office of the Vice President Launches the Women and Youth Leadership Program in South Sudan - 14/02/2025 11:37
- The Grave Blunders And The Paradoxical Ways In Leadership Sector - 14/02/2025 11:32
- ADF approves $153.66 million for Uganda-South Sudan electricity interconnection project - 13/02/2025 20:48
- Rwandan peacekeepers in South Sudan get UN service medals for their service - 13/02/2025 20:44
- Afreximbank seeks to claw back US$657mn debt from South Sudan - 13/02/2025 20:30
Random articles (all categories):
- Militaries of South Sudan, Uganda confirm clash near border - 29/10/2020 09:22
- ALL TWELVE SUDAN BISHOPS MEET IN KHARTOUM - 23/07/2007 16:41
- Bishop Kussala laments South Sudan’ senseless violence - 24/09/2017 08:58
- Conference Highlights Duke's Connections and Contributions to Food Security ... - Duke University - 03/03/2013 13:57
- Sudan, South Sudan reopen borders - 01/10/2021 15:51
Popular articles:
- Who is the darkest person in the world, according to Guinness World Record? - 25/10/2022 02:34 - Read 73163 times
- No oil in troubled waters - 25/03/2014 15:02 - Read 22398 times
- School exam results in South Sudan show decline - 01/04/2012 17:58 - Read 21624 times
- Top 10 weakest currency exchange rates in Africa in 2023 - 19/07/2023 00:24 - Read 19511 times
- NDSU student from South Sudan receives scholarship - In-Forum - 29/09/2012 01:44 - Read 19259 times