SUMMARY

The relation between Sudan and South Sudan remained hostile after South Sudanese independence in 2011. One of the most contentious issues concerned their shared, undemarcated border. In the end of March 2012 the situation escalated into warfare over the disputed oil-rich Heglig/Panthou-area, causing hundreds of deaths.

IN DEPTH

Fighting over Heglig/Panthou

After a long war, South Sudan became independent on 9 July 2011. (For more information about the conflict preceding this, see Sudan: government.) The relation between Sudan and South Sudan remained hostile however. One of the most contentious issues had to do with the undemarcated border between them.

The Heglig (known as Panthou in South Sudan) area, is located in between the two states and is rich in oil. In late March 2012 disputes concerning control of this area escalated into armed conflict.

South Sudan attacked the Sudanese army on 26 March in the Heglig/Panthou area, claiming this was a defensive reaction to Sudanese bombardment of their territory. On 27 March, South Sudanese President Salva Kiir stated that "We said many times that we do not want war but they wanted it and we did not intend to recover Heglig by force but through peace and law but they wanted [a show of] power so [we] let them see it".

Also on 27 March the head of Sudans national security and intelligence services, Mohammed Atta al-Moula, stated that "We hope this will be no full war" and "We have no intentions beyond liberating our (occupied) land."

According to Sudanese sources the Southern Sudanese army entered its northern neighbor and fought them between 26 and 28 March, before withdrawing. Sudan on its part bombed oil-fields and villages. After two weeks, the Southern Sudanese army advanced once more, even though their capacity for such advancement was doubted, and this time succeeded in taking control over Heglig/Panthou’s oil-fields. Following massive international criticism however, South Sudan withdrew from the oil-rich area after only 10 days.

This burst of fighting was the most intensive since 2005 when the Comprehensive Peace Agreement was signed, ultimately making South Sudan independent in 2011 (for more information, see Sudan: government). The number of battle-related deaths is, however, much disputed and independent confirmations are not available.

Negotiations between Sudan and South Sudan

Throughout 2012 several actors were involved in trying to ease the hostilities between Sudan and South Sudan. The prime negotiation actors were the African Unions High-level Implementation Panel led by Thabo Mbeki, and Ethiopia which hosted the direct talks between the leaders of the two nations.

President Omar el-Bahsir of Sudan and his Southern Sudanese counterpart President Salva Kiir, met for negotiations in Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa in July. The countries’ negotiation teams continued the negotiation process and signed an agreement on Oil-transition fees in early September. This was followed by a partial peace agreement at the end of the same month.

This did not, however, end the hostilities between the countries and Sudan continued to bomb areas of South Sudan. However, the situation calmed down the following year, and did not reach the threshold for activity according to UCDP standards (at least 25 battle-related deaths in one calendar-year).