Conflict in South Sudan

Two and a half years after gaining independence, South Sudan is now mired in conflict. In mid-December President Salva Kiir accussed his former Vice-Preisdent, Riak Machar, of attempting a coup. In the past few weeks fighting, between the government and rebels loosely aligned with Machar, has spread from the capital Juba throughout much of the young nation. Government and rebel delegations are meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in a regional effort to broker a ceasefire, but the violence continues in South Sudan. The UN estimates that over a thousand people have been killed and some 200,000 people displaced so far.

Luke Patey recently discussed the role of oil in the conflict with the BBC World Service. See his comments on the conflict to the Danish press here.