Armed Groups in South Sudan

Due to a security vacuum in many areas of South Sudan, numerous armed groups are able to operate. Categorizing them is difficult as most do not fall under neat headings. They include militias, foreign armed groups, self-defence units, pastoralist cattle raiding parties, heavily-armed civilians, nomadic communities, private armies, disgruntled (former) Sudan People's Liberation Army or militia members, and 'criminal' gangs. Participation in these groups can be extremely fluid and is generally grounded in ethnic affiliations, local cultural norms, and the desire to gain access to resources or power, as well as clientelism. Porous borders and the absence of a professional police force allow members of these groups to move freely across internal and international borders.

Click here for information on the following:

• Emerging Armed Groups and Militias
• Lord's Resistance Army
• South Sudan Defence Forces (historical)
• 'White Army' (historical)

Relevant Tables, Maps, and Summaries

• Cumulative deaths reported during conflict incidents from Jan-October 2010
  Map highlighting the numbers of inter-communal killings in 2010 (UN-OCHA)
• Potential Flashpoints, South Sudan and Three Areas, April 2009 (UNMIS)
  Map highlighting critical areas of potential inter-communal conflict
• Significant Violent Incidents in South Sudan, 2009 (from HSBA Working Paper 20)
  Map highlighting areas that experienced inter-ethnic violence in South Sudan in 2009
• Southern Clashes Targeting Women and Children, 2009 (from HSBA Working Paper 20)
  Table summarizing major inter-ethnic clashes in 2009, including the numbers of wounded, killed, and displaced
• Inter-ethnic Fighting in Jonglei State, 2009 (from HSBA Issue Brief 14)
  Summary on the resurgence of inter-ethnic armed conflict in Jonglei, including in 'White Army' areas

Relevant HSBA Publications

• Uncertain Future: Armed Violence in South Sudan, by Claire Mc Evoy and Emile LeBrun, April 2010 (in Arabic)
• Conflicting Priorities: GoSS Security Challenges and Recent Responses HSBA Issue Brief, May 2009 (in Arabic)