During the weekend of February 3-4, 2024, the disputed Abyei region, rich in oil and contested by both Sudan and South Sudan, was the scene of deadly clashes that resulted in the deaths of another 37 people. 

Abyei’s strategic and economic value has long been a source of intense land and control disputes, covering an area of about 4,067 square miles along the border between South Sudan and Sudan in Northeast Africa.

Violence broke out in the counties of Rum-Ameer, Alal, and Mijak, with young armed individuals from South Sudan’s Warrap state, supported by followers of Unity state’s spiritual leader Gai Machiek, engaging in conflict. 

The skirmishes led to 19 deaths on Saturday and another 18 on Sunday, among them four women and three children, and saw the theft of 1,000 cattle.

This recent outbreak of violence comes just a week after another incident in the same region that resulted in the deaths of at least 52 people, including a UN peacekeeper, due to land disputes.

Abyei has been a point of contention for decades, granted special administrative status by the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement that sought to end the Second Sudanese Civil War. 

However, disputes over the region’s control have persisted, particularly between the Twic Dinka tribal members from Warrap State and the Ngok Dinka from Abyei. 

The area’s significant oil reserves add to its geopolitical importance, yet production has declined in recent years amidst ongoing instability.

The deployment of the United Nations Interim Security Force (UNISFA) to Abyei aims to ease tensions in the area. The recent surge in violence underscores the difficulties in sustaining peace.

The involvement of ethnic militias and accusations against spiritual leaders like Machiek for inciting violence exacerbates the complexity of the conflict. Despite these efforts, resolving the dispute over Abyei remains elusive, with South Sudan and Sudan claiming sovereignty over the region. 

The Ngok Dinka people of Abyei lean towards South Sudan, whereas the Misseriya nomads, who migrate to Abyei for grazing, align with Sudan.

The Abyei Special Administrative Area condemned the latest “terrorist attacks” and “heinous killings,” emphasizing the recurrent nature of ethnic violence in the region. 

This violence not only represents a direct challenge to the peacekeeping efforts but also to the broader peace processes aimed at resolving the long-standing disputes between South Sudan and Sudan.

As international and regional stakeholders watch closely, the future of Abyei remains uncertain, with both sides showing little willingness to concede control. The ongoing violence threatens not only the fragile peace in the region but also the lives of thousands of civilians caught in the crossfire of a conflict rooted in historical grievances and fueled by competition over scarce resources.

The international community’s role in mediating these disputes and supporting sustainable peace initiatives is crucial to preventing further loss of life and ensuring that Abyei does not become a forgotten crisis amidst the global challenges of our time.