Latjoor was a state in South Sudan that existed between 2 October 2015 and 22 February 2020. It was located in the Greater Upper Nile region and it bordered Eastern Nile to the north, Eastern Bieh to the south, and Ethiopia to the east.
87-407: On 2 October 2015, President Salva Kiir issued a decree establishing 28 states in place of the 10 constitutionally established states. The decree established the new states largely along ethnic lines. A number of opposition parties and civil society groups challenged the constitutionality of the decree. Kiir later resolved to take it to parliament for approval as a constitutional amendment. In November
174-578: A coup, leading him to arrest those politicians. Moi Peter Julius, who was a political reporter for a South Sudanese newspaper The Corporate , was found murdered late on the night of 19 August 2015 in a residential area of Juba after being shot twice from behind. His murder was committed three days after Kiir publicly and officially threatened journalists, stating that "freedom of the press does not mean that you work against your country. If anybody does not know that this country will kill people, we will demonstrate on them." Earlier in 2015, five journalists by
261-633: A helicopter crash on 30 July 2005, Kiir was chosen to succeed to the post of First Vice President of Sudan and President of Southern Sudan. Before independence, Kiir was popular among the military wing of the SPLA/M for his loyalty to the vision of the SPLA/M throughout the liberation struggle and among those who do not trust the successive governments that have come and gone in the Sudan. Comments by Kiir in October 2009 that
348-515: A smaller number of FAZ, SAF, and Ex- FAR soldiers. They hoped to find refuge at Yei, and did not know of the town's encirclement by the SPLA. Instead of relieving Yei's garrison, the column was ambushed by the SPLA about halfway between Morobo and Yei, and suffered 3,000 casualties: 2,000 killed and 1,000 captured. The survivors were routed and fled in disarray to Juba. The column's leaders were mostly killed, wounded or captured: WNBF commander Juma Oris
435-567: Is a South Sudanese politician who has been the President of South Sudan since its independence on 9 July 2011. Prior to independence, he was the President of the Government of Southern Sudan , as well as First Vice President of Sudan , from 2005 to 2011. He was named Commander-in-Chief of the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) in 2005, following the death of John Garang . Kiir was born to
522-548: Is not in the "character" of Southern Sudanese people. "It is not even something that anybody can talk about here in southern Sudan in particular. It is not there and if anybody wants to import or to export it to South Sudan , it will not get the support and it will always be condemned by everybody," he said. He then went on to refer to homosexuality as a "mental disease" and a "bastion of Western immorality". In December 2011, 6,000 Lou Nuer armed child soldiers attacked Murle communities. According to investigations carried out by
609-527: Is something that people will have to thrash out with them." In March 2014, Kiir's government organized a rally accusing the United Nations of colluding with anti-government forces. Protesters carried signs accusing the UN of arming anti-government forces. Relations between Kiir's government and some erstwhile supporters deteriorated since the start of the civil war. He disclosed in an op-ed published in his name in
696-651: The 2011 South Sudanese independence referendum with Kiir as its inaugural President. Kiir was born in 1951 into a pastoral Dinka family in the village of Akon in the Awan-Chan Dinka community in Gogrial County, South Sudan , as the eighth of nine children (six boys and three girls) in the family. His father, Kuethpiny Thiik Atem (d. 2007), was a cattle herder who belonged to Payum clan. Atem had three wives, Awiei Rou Wol, Adut Makuei Piol and Awien Akoon Deng, along with 16 children. Kiir's mother, Awiei Rou Wol Tong
783-644: The Dinka ethnic group and joined Anyanya rebels fighting for Southern independence during the First Sudanese Civil War in the late 1960s. Following the outbreak of the Second Sudanese Civil War in 1983, Kiir joined the new Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) rebel group led by John Garang as a member of its armed wing, the Sudanese People's Liberation Army (SPLA), eventually becoming
870-535: The Egyptian and Sudanese intelligence agencies. Kiir is reported to be the part-owner of ABMC Thai-South Sudan Construction Company Limited. With Garang Deng Aguer and Benjamin Bol Mel According to a report by Radio Tamazuj , however, Kiir's shares are not held directly but may be concealed in the name of a close associate. Ties between Kiir and the company were denied by Kiir's spokesman Ateny Wek. The company
957-611: The SPLA . Allegedly, a traditional Dinka ceremony was conducted by his brothers. This led to strife between Kiir's eldest daughter and Aluel William Nyuon Bany. Kiir has not publicly commented on the allegation. According to media reports in Kenya , "Kiir's in-laws" have requested privacy. Kiir is Catholic . Operation Thunderbolt (1997) [REDACTED] SAF [REDACTED] SPLA- Torit [REDACTED] UPDF Other major events Operation Thunderbolt (9 March – late April 1997)
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#17328633409801044-630: The South Sudanese Civil War . About 400,000 people were estimated to have been killed in the war by April 2018, including notable atrocities such as the 2014 Bentiu massacre . According to a Saudi Arabian diplomatic cable released by WikiLeaks in June 2015, the Saudi Arabian embassy in Khartoum had previously alerted the Saudi Arabian government of an assassination plot against Kiir by members of
1131-751: The WNBF , the UNRF (II) (a WNBF splinter faction), the ADF , and the LRA/LSA . Though these groups were not strong enough to actually threaten the Ugandan government, they could undermine its legitimacy by attacking the Ugandan population and further damage the country's struggling economy. They were generally based in southern Sudan or eastern Zaire (present-day DR Congo ), whose dictator Mobutu Sese Seko tolerated their presence out of enmity toward Museveni. The Ugandan President responded to
1218-458: The White House , Kiir received a black stetson as a gift from U.S. President George W. Bush . He reportedly liked it so much that he purchased several. He now rarely makes public appearances without wearing one. In a politically charged social issue, it has been claimed that Kiir secretly married the daughter of former comrade, the late William Nyuon Bany , an ethnic Nuer and former leader of
1305-482: The investigation , arrest and prosecution of the individuals who carried out the violence against civilians of both the Nuer and Murle ethnic groups is widely believed to have contributed massively to, if not categorically, the mass murders , as well as the continued perpetration of the ethnic violence. Kiir established a figurehead "Investigation Committee" with an ostentatious mandate to investigate those responsible for
1392-508: The wet season . The Kit River swell in volume and became difficult to cross, especially as one bridge had been destroyed by the SAF during its retreat. When the SPLA forces under Salva Kiir Mayardit's command managed to cross the river, however, they launched "lightning strikes" against the next Sudanese bases. The garrison towns of Lui , Amadi, the Jambo road junction, Goja, Boje, and Moga were captured by
1479-569: The "big" garrison at Yei from Juba on 11 March. This rapid advance was "facilitated primarily by an Ethiopian tank unit", and UPDF tanks also played a major role in clearing the way for the South Sudanese rebels. Attempts by the Sudanese Air Force to supply Yei by air failed, as the air drops were captured by the rebels. In response to the rapid SPLA advances, the Sudanese government ordered
1566-676: The 18th of March 2023 without charge. In mid-October 2011, Kiir announced South Sudan had applied for accession to the East African Community . He declared the East African Community to be "at the center of our hearts" due to its members' support of South Sudan during the Sudanese civil wars. On 20 December 2011, Kiir visited Israel to thank it for its support during the First Sudanese Civil War from 1956 to 1972, and met with Israeli president Shimon Peres to discuss establishing an embassy in Jerusalem , which would make South Sudan
1653-581: The First Vice President of Sudan in accordance with the interim constitution. South Sudanese voted overwhelmingly in favor of their independence from Sudan in January 2011, with 98.83% of voters reportedly preferring to split from the North. On 9 July 2011, South Sudan became an independent state, with Kiir as its first president. Kiir positioned himself as a reformer, using his inaugural address to call for
1740-664: The Liberation of Congo (ADFL) to clear the region of the Zairian Armed Forces (FAZ) and other pro-Sudanese forces. Sudan attempted to aid its allies, but the FAZ was in a catastrophic condition and the Ugandan insurgents demotivated. Both were easily routed by the UPDF and its allies, and surrendered, deserted or fled en masse into southern Sudan. With the pro-Sudanese forces in Zaire routed,
1827-748: The Ministry of Justice. His presidency was characterized as a period of reconstruction, albeit one marred by internal and foreign disputes. Among these were the Heglig Crisis , which caused a border war with Sudan , and an internal political crisis in which attempts were made to overthrow him. On 18 June 2013, Kiir issued an order lifting the immunity of two ministers in the national government pending investigations into an alleged corruption case in which they appeared to be implicated. He also issued an order suspending Cabinet Affairs Minister Deng Alor Kuol and Finance Minister Kosti Manibe Ngai from their duties during
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#17328633409801914-518: The SPLA The capture of Yei was one of the most important successes for the SPLA. It provided the rebel group with an international propaganda boost, as it portrayed its own rule in the town as free and fair in contrast to the previous administration which was widely perceived as oppressive. SPLA leader John Garang even declared that with Yei in rebel hands, the SPLA had almost won the civil war in southern Sudan; this assessment proved premature. In fact,
2001-560: The SPLA and its allies, namely Uganda and the AFDL , in the course of the First Congo War , thus allowing the SPLA to launch Operation Thunderbolt from the Zairian side of the border. Covertly supported by expeditionary forces from Uganda, Ethiopia , and Eritrea , the SPLA's offensive was a major success, with several SAF garrison towns falling to the South Sudanese rebels in a matter of days. Yei
2088-557: The SPLA and its supporters occupied northeastern Zaire. The SPLA was thus in the position to launch offensive operations into Sudan from the Zairian side of the border. Two offensives were planned: "Operation Thunderbolt" which would take place west of the Nile , and "Operation Jungle Storm" east of the Nile. The South Sudanese rebels amassed a force of about 12,000 fighters, including tanks and artillery, for Operation Thunderbolt. Salva Kiir Mayardit
2175-429: The SPLA at bay. I believe it's the most significant victory in the south to date. Yei is pivotal to the whole war situation.... It was the main battle. I believe the war in the south is over. There is nothing that the regime will do, or can do, to reverse this. We are confident that we will indeed capture Juba and not only that, we will bring down the whole regime. That is the final target. — John Garang , leader of
2262-567: The SPLA during Operation Thunderbolt took several forms. First of all, the rebels were trained, provided with intelligence, and supplied with equipment by the UPDF, the Eritrean Army and the Ethiopian Army . Furthermore, many of the tanks and artillery pieces that took part in the operation were operated by crews belonging to the Ugandan, Eritrean, and Ethiopian militaries. Unidentified Ethiopian military officers directly commanded parts of
2349-572: The SPLA in Western Equatoria, and weakened the Sudanese government's control over its southern territories. The South Sudanese rebels were thus able to expand their operations, and raised global awareness for their cause. Furthermore, the WNBF and UNRF (II) suffered heavy losses during the offensive. Taken together with their defeats in the First Congo War, they were permanently weakened, and in case of
2436-509: The SPLA settled a large number of its fighters and their families, mostly ethnic Dinka , in Yei. As Yei remained relatively stable and its security improved over the following years, the town underwent an economic upturn. Cross-border trade in the region increased, and many refugees from around Sudan and the Congo settled in Yei. The SPLA made Yei its new headquarters in summer 1997. The capture of Yei
2523-561: The SPLA's military and political position. It had conquered numerous important towns, and was thereby more able to present itself as legitimate government of South Sudan. Much of the territory captured by the SPLA during Operation Thunderbolt remained in its hands until the civil war's end. The rebel group had also seized a large amount of small arms, ammunition, landmines, and heavier equipment such as artillery pieces, at least 60 tanks, anti-aircraft guns, and anti-tank cannons, greatly increasing its combat capabilities. Nevertheless, much of
2610-638: The SPLA, the SPLM's military wing, when Dr. John Garang was killed in a helicopter crash. Rumours to remove Kiir from his post as SPLA Chief of Staff in 2004 nearly caused the organization to split. Following the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement formally ending the war in January 2005, Garang was sworn in as the Vice President of the Republic of Sudan. After the death of John Garang De in
2697-471: The SPLA, while SAF garrisons in Eastern Equatoria were cut off and had to be supplied by air from then on. However, an initial attack by the SPLA and UPDF on the strategically important Jabelein area, 39 miles (63 km) from Juba, partially failed. Five Ugandan tanks were lost during this assault. Much of Western Equatoria was left under rebel control, allowing the SPLA to launch further offensives in
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2784-485: The South Sudanese parliament empowered President Kiir to create new states. Peter Lam Both was appointed Governor on 24 December. Conor Twomey has raised publicity. The state consisted of 5 counties created in April 2016: This South Sudan location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Salva Kiir Salva Kiir Mayardit (born 13 September 1951), commonly known as Salva Kiir ,
2871-496: The South Sudanese people "to forgive though we shall not forget" injustices imposed at the hands of the northern Sudanese over the preceding decades and announce a general amnesty for South Sudanese groups that had warred against the SPLM in the past. A few weeks later, he publicly addressed members of the military and police to warn them that rape, torture, and other human rights violations carried out by armed personnel would be considered criminal acts and prosecuted aggressively by
2958-471: The South Sudanese state of Unity , triggering the Heglig Crisis . On 27 September, Kiir met Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir and signed eight agreements in Addis Ababa , Ethiopia, which led the way to resume important oil exports and create a 10-kilometre (6 mi) demilitarized zone along their border. The agreements allow for the return of 56,000,000 litres (350,000 barrels) of South Sudanese oil to
3045-553: The Sudanese and Zairean support for these rebel groups by ending his neutrality in 1993. Uganda started to aid, and then coordinate with the SPLA in their common struggle against Sudan, the Ugandan insurgents, and Zaire. Furthermore, the conflict along the Sudanese-Ugandan-Zairean border intensified, as not just the various rebel factions but even the Sudanese and Ugandan militaries launched cross-border raids and bombardments. This volatile situation further escalated upon
3132-468: The Sudanese conflict. He repeatedly attempted to convince the Sudanese government of his non-involvement with the SPLA, and followed a policy of appeasement. This course yielded no results. The anti-Western , Islamist National Islamic Front government of Sudan regarded the Leftist , pro- United States government under Museveni as a natural enemy and supporter of the South Sudanese separatists. Furthermore,
3219-423: The Sudanese government's dire shortages in manpower and equipment. The regime was reportedly forced to resort to forcibly recruiting schoolboys, train them just 15 days, and then send them into battle with no more than a gun, a Quran page to "ward off infidel bullets", and a key to unlock Heaven's Gate if they fell in combat. The NIF leadership also increased its efforts to enlist the aid of various militias to keep
3306-495: The Sudanese leadership intended to islamize the Great Lakes region , and in the context of this plan, mostly Christian "Uganda stood in the way". In an effort to topple Museveni's government, Sudan thus supported and even organized several Ugandan insurgent groups from 1986, though the extent to which these rebels actually followed Sudanese orders varied greatly. By 1996, the most important pro-Sudanese Ugandan rebel groups were
3393-565: The UN, 800 people from both ethnic groups were killed between December 2011 and February 2012, while women and children were abducted and property was looted and destroyed. Unbeknownst to large numbers of or the entire child soldier population, Kiir planned and had decided to agree to warlike stipends from the Obama administration beginning in 2012, regardless of an American law prohibiting aid to nations utilizing child soldiers created and passed in 2008. A lack of accountability and justice pertaining to
3480-411: The UPDF at Kaya, while the town's remaining SAF soldiers retreated to Yei. The UPDF consequently destroyed a SAF artillery unit at Poki Hill near Kaya. On 10 March, the SPLA and UPDF captured Bazi and Gumuni, while the Sudanese and Ugandan militaries reportedly exchanged artillery fire across their common border. The SPLA was thus able to encircle the SAF in a "massive pincer movement", and cut off
3567-409: The WNBF and UNRF (II) to aid the SAF in rearguard actions; this did little to stop the South Sudanese rebels. Instead, the Ugandan insurgents suffered heavy losses. Their worst defeat came amid the siege of Yei. Over 4,000 stragglers, including women and children, had fled Zaire, crossed the border at Morobo County , and advanced toward Yei. This column included WNBF forces under Juma Oris , as well as
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3654-410: The WNBF, effectively defeated as active fighting forces. Following its independence in 1956, Sudan had suffered from numerous internal conflicts over political, ethnic, and religious issues. In 1983, revolutionaries and separatists from the country's mostly Christian-Animistic south banded together and launched an insurgency against the government which was traditionally dominated by Muslim elites from
3741-665: The Washington Times in October 2015 that unnamed "international partners in peace" had threatened his government with sanctions , the withdrawal of aid support, and referrals to the International Criminal Court. On 26 March 2012, the South Sudanese army attacked the oilfield in the town of Heglig (known also to the Dinka of the Unity state as Panthou ), located between the border of the Sudanese state of South Kordofan and
3828-582: The anti-Sudanese operation. President Museveni even ordered the UPDF to train at Monodo for a potential attack on the Sudanese border town of Kaya . The SPLA began the offensive amid the dry season on 9 March, attacking the Kaya and the road between Yei and Juba . The assault on Kaya was preceded by an artillery bombardement, and spearheaded by the Uganda People's Defence Force with tanks, howitzers, mortars, and machine guns. The Ugandan forces were under
3915-407: The conflict had effectively become a stalemate, as neither the government nor the insurgents were capable of completely defeating each other. The war continued until the Comprehensive Peace Agreement was signed seven years later in 2005. The SPLA was however not very popular with the local Equatorians, and many of them opted to flee into Zaire and Uganda rather than live under SPLA rule. In turn,
4002-493: The crimes have been arrested, charged, or convicted. In December 2022, Kiir lost control of his bladder and involuntarily urinated into his clothing during a road opening ceremony. Six staff of the South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation were subsequently arrested on 7 January 2023 in relation to video of the urination, which was widely distributed online. The last of the journalists was eventually released on
4089-545: The early months of 2017, parts of South Sudan experienced a famine following several years of instability in the country's food supply caused by civil war and drought . International humanitarian advocates stated the famine was manmade and pointed to the country's ongoing conflict for creating the famine conditions. More than 3 million people had been displaced by ongoing violence across the country, forcing families to abandon agricultural land and livestock, leaving them with few food resources to survive with. The worst fighting
4176-409: The entire duration of the probe. In July 2013, Kiir sacked his entire cabinet, including his vice president, Riek Machar , ostensibly to reduce the size of government. However, Machar said that it was a step towards dictatorship and that he would challenge Kiir for the presidency. He also dismissed Taban Deng Gai as Governor of Unity State. Kiir told Radio Netherlands Worldwide that homosexuality
4263-463: The first country to have one in that city. After the outbreak of the South Sudanese civil war, Salva Kiir delivered a speech in January 2014 lashing out at the United Nations and "so-called humanitarian organizations", accusing them of supporting Riek Machar to try to overthrow him. He accused the UN of sheltering his enemies on their bases adding, "There is a problem with the international community, and it
4350-405: The forthcoming independence referendum was a choice between being "a second class in your own country" or "a free person in your independent state" were expected to further strain political tensions. Reports in January 2010 that Kiir would not contest April elections for Sudanese president, but would focus on re-election as president of Southern Sudan were interpreted to mean that the SPLM priority
4437-457: The garrison towns of Morobo (12 March), Loka (13 March), the "heavily fortified" base of Lainya (15 March), Kagwada (16 March), and Kulipapa (17 March) in quick succession. The important town of Kajo-Kaji was taken by the South Sudanese rebels and UPDF on 24 March, and a SAF counter-attack along the Yei-Juba road was repelled two days later. The SPLA's advance was then halted by the onset of
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#17328633409804524-559: The government managed to regain some ground in the area, retaking several locations from the rebels. At the time, the South Sudanese separatists were weakened by internal divisions and the collapse of the People's Democratic Republic of Ethiopia , their most important foreign ally. By 1994, the SPLA main faction under Garang's leadership was on the verge of complete defeat. Parts of the rebel movement had split off, and some of these splinter groups (such as SSIM/A ) had even allied themselves with
4611-593: The government. The SPLA did however manage to recover and regain some strength in the Equatoria area. This was also thanks to the resumption of support by Ethiopia in 1995. Though the country's old, pro-SPLA leadership had been overthrown during the Ethiopian Civil War , Ethiopia's new government under Meles Zenawi was undermined by Sudan, and consequently decided to aid the South Sudanese separatists. Bashir's regime also alienated its former ally Eritrea, so that
4698-618: The head of the SPLA. Following the Comprehensive Peace Agreement , the South gained autonomy under the leadership of Garang in July 2005. Following Garang's death at the end of the month, Kiir became the new President of the Southern Autonomous region, as well as First Vice President of the central government. Kiir won re-election as President following the 2010 South Sudanese general election . The following year, South Sudan gained independence after
4785-437: The latter began to assist the SPLA from 1994. The Sudanese government suspected that the survival of the South Sudanese rebels was dependent on support by the neighboring country of Uganda . This belief was not based on hard facts, but an assumed personal connection between SPLA leader John Garang and Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni . In truth, the two barely knew each other, and Museveni had intended to stay neutral in
4872-531: The lead-up to a meeting of the National Liberation Council (NLC) of the ruling SPLM party. After two days of NLC meetings, on the night of 15 December 2013 shooting erupted within Salva Kiir's Presidential Guards. The next day, Kiir denounced Machar and other senior SPLM officials for staging a failed coup against his government, a claim later denied by Machar and others. These events marked the start of
4959-610: The mass murders and murders, but as of January 2013 no finances had been allocated to the "Investigation Committee" or any of its members sworn in to commence the investigation and bring those to justice. Throughout the Jonglei disarmament "Operation Restore Peace" which began in March 2012 and continued throughout the year, soldiers were ordered to and assumed the responsibility of extrajudicial killings , severe beatings , binding people with rope, and torture to extract "information" regarding
5046-655: The massive defeat in Sudan meant that the WNBF's "insurgency was essentially spent by 1997". Nevertheless, the Sudanese government continued to support the remaining remnants of WNBF and UNRF (II) that had fled into the Garamba National Park . UPDF soldiers thus remained stationed in and around Yei until at least 2008, securing the area against pro-Sudanese rebels. The Ugandan insurgents who were in SPLA custody following Operation Thunderbolt (including 500–1,000 WNBF fighters) were eventually expatriated to Uganda. Ethiopia also achieved what it had wanted, namely to pressure
5133-413: The murders that "The murder of five journalists is a devastating attack on South Sudan's already beleaguered press corps," and that "We urge Western Bahr el Ghazal authorities to do their utmost to identify the perpetrators and bring them to justice, and to ensure journalists are allowed to carry out their duties safely." At present, none of the parties responsible for ordering the murders or perpetrators of
5220-528: The names of Musa Mohamed (the director of the state-run radio station Raja FM), Adam Juma (reporter and presenter for Raja FM), Dalia Marko and Randa George (reporters for Raja FM), and Boutros Martin (a cameraman for the Western Bahr el Ghazal of South Sudan Television) had been murdered while traveling as part of a convoy, along with six other people. Tom Rhodes of the Committee to Protect Journalists stated after
5307-483: The north, most importantly "Operation Deng Nhial" (from mid-March) and "Operation Final Lap" (from June) during which rebel holdings in the Lakes and Warrap states were significantly expanded. The SPLA claimed to have put 8,000 enemy troops "out of action" during Operation Thunderbolt, including a large number of Sudanese senior officers. "Several thousand" SAF soldiers were captured or surrendered near Yei. Likewise,
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#17328633409805394-544: The north. The rebels organized themselves as the " Sudan People's Liberation Army " (SPLA) under the leadership of John Garang , and the insurgency eventually escalated into a full civil war that also affected Sudan's east and west. Negotiations between the government and the SPLA almost resulted in a peaceful solution of the conflict, but ended after the 1989 coup d'état which brought the National Islamic Front (NIF) under Omar al-Bashir to power. The new regime
5481-467: The outbreak of the First Congo War in 1996, as an alliance of rebel groups and states led by Rwanda invaded Zaire to topple Mobutu. Uganda joined this coalition, realizing that the war was an opportunity to eliminate Zaire as haven for Ugandan insurgents. As result, the Uganda People's Defence Force (UPDF) invaded northeastern Zaire, and helped the SPLA and the native Alliance of Democratic Forces for
5568-458: The overall command of Salim Saleh , with Katumba Wamala as operational commander. A task force of UPDF tanks led by Hannington Kyazze crossed a nearby river, and attacked Kaya from the rear. The SAF had previously realized that the SPLA was preparing an offensive, but the rebels managed to capture Kaya on the first day of the attack nonetheless, while the UPDF seized the strategically important nearby Koboko Mountain. Much heavy equipment fell to
5655-419: The pro-Sudanese WNBF and UNRF (II) suffered heavy losses during the fighting in Equatoria. The WNBF lost 1,800 combatants at Yei and Morobo alone, of whom 800 were killed while the rest were captured. The high commands of both WNBF and UNRF (II) were mostly killed or captured in the offensive. In comparison, the SPLA suffered much lighter casualties. The success of Operation Thunderbolt significantly improved
5742-546: The rebel Sudan People's Liberation Army/Movement (SPLA/M) in the second civil war . Garang had advanced military knowledge and experience from both the United States and Sudan, and Kiir served as his deputy. In 1997, Kiir commanded the SPLA troops that took part in Operation Thunderbolt , a very successful rebel offensive during which most of Western Equatoria was captured by the SPLA. Kiir eventually rose to head
5829-498: The rebels on 2–3 April, followed by Mukungu (9 April), and Kit (12 April). Along with UPDF troops, the SPLA also attacked a LRA/LSA camp at Aru on 9–10 April. On 18 April, SPLA and UPDF units under James Kazini launched an attack on Tingiri and the Aru junction, while the UPDF's 23rd Battalion under Phenehas Mugyenyi was ordered to block the Aru-Juba road. The operation aimed at encircling
5916-405: The remaining LRA/LSA forces and to kill their leader Joseph Kony . Despite destroying the rebel camps and capturing hundreds of SAF soldiers, Kony escaped. Another Sudanese counter-attack from Kit Valley was defeated. The remaining SAF units in the region were mostly forced to retreat. A counter-attack by the pro-government SSIM/A militia was repelled. As result, Juba itself became threatened by
6003-403: The support of the entire southern population. Many in the south had sided with the government or rebel groups that were opposed to the SPLA. The region of Equatoria , including the important town of Yei , was strongly contested between the SPLA and the SAF for several years. The SAF would control the towns, whereas the rebels held much of the countryside. In the 1990s first half, however,
6090-438: The town. The Sudanese government responded by ordering 2,000 SAF soldiers who were retreating toward Juba to instead march on Yei, officially to aid the besieged garrison, although the government knew that the town had already fallen. This counter-attack failed, and 1,000 SAF soldiers were captured or surrendered, while the rest were killed or scattered by the rebels. The SPLA further advanced after its success at Yei, capturing
6177-445: The wake of aerial bombings carried out by the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) in parts of South Sudan's northern Bahr el Ghazal state, killing at least eight people and injuring an equal number. South Sudan treated the attack as a gross violation of the cooperation agreement the two country's leaders signed in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on 27 September. In September 2013, an article appeared on the South Sudan News Agency website. The article
6264-419: The weaponry and ammunition that fell into the hands of the SPLA was "degraded and of no use on the battlefield". The Sudanese government had had problems for years to properly supply its forces with modern arms, and the SAF was consequently forced to rely on obsolete, incompatible, or badly worn equipment. Operation Thunderbolt, along with simultaneous offensives by the SPLA and other insurgents, further worsened
6351-519: The whereabouts of weapons. After rumors about a planned coup surfaced in Juba in late 2012, Kiir began reorganizing the senior leadership of his government, party and military on an unprecedented scale. In January 2013, he replaced the inspector general of the national police service with a lieutenant from the army, and dismissed six deputy chiefs of staff and 29 major generals in the army. In February 2013 Kiir retired an additional 117 army generals but this
6438-497: The world market. In addition, the agreements include an understanding of the parameters to follow in regards to demarcating their border, an economic cooperation agreement and a deal to protect each other's citizens. Certain issues remain unsolved and future talks are scheduled to resolve them. On 25 November 2012, South Sudan launched a formal complaint to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) against Sudan in
6525-569: Was a farmer, who belonged to the Payii clan. In 1967, Kiir joined the Anyanya rebel group in the First Sudanese Civil War . By the time of the 1972 Addis Ababa Agreement , he was a low-ranking officer and was integrated into the Sudanese Armed Forces as per the agreement. In 1983, when John Garang joined an army mutiny he had been sent to put down, Kiir and other Southern leaders defected to
6612-444: Was also a major success for the SPLA's allies. Uganda did not just prevent a Sudanese incursion into Zaire, and thus fulfilled its main strategic goal during the offensive. Operation Thunderbolt also weakened the WNBF and UNRF (II) to a great extent, diminishing their ability to fight the Ugandan government and its allies. Of the two, the WNBF was in a worse situation. As it had also suffered from internal disputes, and mass desertions,
6699-496: Was appointed overall commander of the SPLA troops involved in the offensive. Another important rebel commander during Operation Thunderbolt was James Hoth Mai . The SPLA enjoyed strong support by foreign states, namely Uganda, Ethiopia, and Eritrea, during the preparation and execution of Operation Thunderbolt. Each of these countries had its own goals which it hoped to achieve by aiding the SPLA in capturing Western and Central Equatoria. For Uganda, Operation Thunderbolt's main aim
6786-470: Was authored by a South Sudanese analyst and critical writer by the name Duop Chak Wuol. In his writings, Duop criticized the ruling SPLM party and warned of widespread consequences if party doesn't fix its growing autocratic policies. Duop also predicted negative results the young nation would face if a civil war break out. Tensions rose between Kiir and his former vice president Riek Machar in December 2013 in
6873-529: Was awarded at least $ 161 million in government roads contracts. The president's wife previously held shares in Yanyyom Mineral Water and Beverage Factory located in Juba . The factory took its name from Lake Yanyyom, located near the president's hometown Akon in Warrap State. Another owner of the factory was Garang Deng Aguer, a business magnate and former Governor of Northern Bahr el Ghazal State. In
6960-525: Was badly wounded though escaped, while Ex-FAR Captain Jean-Marie Magabo was captured. Following this defeat, Yei's garrison surrendered on 12 or 13 March, though many of its fighters attempted to flee into the bush . They left behind much materiel, including at least nine 122mm howitzers, one 37mm anti-aircraft gun, and five Chinese-made T-59 tanks. Several WNBF fighters, including the militia's deputy commander Abdulatif Tiyua , were also captured in
7047-551: Was encircled and put under siege on 11 March 1997. At the same time, a large group of WNBF fighters as well as SAF, FAZ , and ex- Rwandan Armed Forces soldiers was trying to escape from Zaire to Yei. The column was ambushed and destroyed by the SPLA, allowing it to capture Yei shortly afterward. Following this victory, the South Sudanese rebels continued their offensive until late April, capturing several other towns in Equatoria and preparing further anti-government campaigns. The success of Operation Thunderbolt significantly strengthened
7134-476: Was in Unity State , where tens of thousands of people fled their homes due to a government offensive against opposition-held areas. Days after the declaration of famine, the government raised the price of a business visa from $ 100 to $ 10,000, mostly aimed at aid workers, citing a need to increase government revenue. U.N. officials said that Kiir was blocking food deliveries to some areas. In 2006, when visiting
7221-414: Was independence. Kiir was re-elected with 93% of the vote in the 2010 South Sudanese election . Although the vote on both the national and sub-national level was criticized by democratic activists and international observers, the overwhelming margin of Kiir's re-election was noted by some media as being "Step One" in the process of secession. Following his re-election, Omar al-Bashir reappointed Kiir as
7308-483: Was militantly opposed to any compromise, and was determined to completely crush the SPLA and all other opposition groups. An escalation of violence followed. By 1991, the civil war had developed into a "network of internal wars" between the government and a multitude of rebel groups with widely diverging backgrounds and aims. Though the SPLA had grown in power and seized control of large parts of southern Sudan, it also suffered from internal disputes and had never enjoyed
7395-665: Was the codename for a military offensive by the South Sudanese SPLA rebel group and its allies during the Second Sudanese Civil War . The operation aimed at conquering several towns in Western and Central Equatoria , most importantly Yei , which served as strongholds for the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and helped the Sudanese government to supply its allies, the Ugandan insurgents of the WNBF and UNRF (II) based in Zaire . These pro-Sudanese forces were defeated and driven from Zaire by
7482-412: Was to capture the entire border to block the SAF from advancing into Zaire to help its allies there. By helping the SPLA, Ethiopia intended to pressure the Sudanese government into ending its support for anti-Ethiopian militants. Eritrea hoped that its involvement in the conflict would weaken its rival Sudan, and reduce the influence of its other rival, Ethiopia, in southern Sudan. The foreign support for
7569-583: Was viewed as troublesome in regards to a power grab by others. Kiir had also suggested that his rivals were trying to revive the rifts that had provoked infighting in the 1990s. On 7 May 2013 Kiir dismissed legal advisor Justice Ajonye Perpetua and deputy Foreign Minister Elias Nyamlell Wako . Kiir had announced that he would no longer tolerate criticism by members of his cabinet. In July, Kiir sacked his entire cabinet, leading experts to warn of upcoming "a full-blown catastrophe". In December 2013, Kiir accused his vice President and other Party members of plotting
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