Fighting over South Sudan's oil can escalate civil war

Rebels in South Sudan recently captured key oil areas in Upper Nile state, including a refinery site.

DIIS senior researcher, Luke Patey, gave a television interview to Al Jazeera English on the civil war in South Sudan andthe implications these events have for the conflict and the importance of oil to the country’s economy.

A loss of oil revenues may embolden the rebels to seek a military victory and push the government of South Sudan to draw further support from neighbouring allies, escalating the conflict to a regional war, Patey said.