Sudan-South Sudan border violence sparks fears of ‘attacks spreading’

Renewed attacks in the disputed Abyei border region of Sudan and South Sudan on Sunday, resulting in civilian casualties and widespread arson attacks, have sparked fears that the violence could spread to Kordofan and Darfur.

Traders from East Darfur told Radio Dabanga of the potential impact on Kordofan and Darfur regions due to the fresh wave of battles in Abyei*.

The area, a pivotal crossing point, witnessed intense fighting last week, killing at least 52 people, injuring many, and causing the death of two peacekeepers of the the UN Interim Security Force in Abyei (UNISFA).

Closure of the Abyei Road, a crucial commercial route linking the contested region to the rest of Sudan, may disrupt trade between Darfur, Kordofan, and El Gezira.

*Since the secession of South Sudan from Sudan in 2011, both countries claim the border area of Abyei. The oil-rich region is inhabited primarily by members of the South Sudanese Dinka Ngok clan. It is also the seasonal home of the Sudanese Arab Misseriya herder tribe. The Abyei status referendum, in which the residents of the region would decide either to remain part of Sudan or become part of South Sudan, was planned to be held simultaneously to the South Sudanese independence referendum in January 2011, but was postponed indefinitely because of disagreements over the process.