Sudan Conflict Inches Closer to South Sudan and Disputed Abyei Region, UN Warns

In a concerning development, the United Nations (UN) has issued a warning that the ongoing conflict in Sudan is advancing towards South Sudan and the disputed Abyei region.

UN special envoy for the Horn of Africa, Hanna Serwaa Tetteh, delivered the warning on Monday, describing the situation as “unprecedented.”

The protracted conflict, which has now entered its seventh month, is characterized by intense clashes between Sudan’s military and a rival paramilitary force, the Rapid Support Force (RSF).

Tetteh emphasized the recent seizure of an airport and an oil field in Belila, located approximately 55 kilometers (34 miles) southwest of Sudan’s West Kordofan State capital, as a significant sign of the conflict’s progression.

Speaking before the UN Security Council, Tetteh stressed that the conflict is taking a severe toll on the diplomatic relations between Sudan and South Sudan.

Furthermore, it has led to severe humanitarian, security, economic, and political consequences that have greatly concerned South Sudan’s political leadership.

The origins of the crisis can be traced back to April when simmering tensions between Sudan’s military and the RSF erupted into open warfare in the capital city, Khartoum, and various other regions across the East African nation.

According to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data project, over 9,000 people have lost their lives in the ongoing conflict, while more than 4.5 million have been forced to abandon their homes within Sudan, and another 1.2 million have sought refuge in neighboring countries, according to UN data.

The recent Security Council meeting highlighted the UN peacekeeping force in the oil-rich Abyei region, which remains in a state of uncertainty following South Sudan’s independence from Sudan in 2011.

The majority Ngok Dinka people in Abyei favor alignment with South Sudan, while the Misseriya nomads, who depend on the area for their cattle, support Sudan.