A Strategic Analysis of Conflict in Sudan and South Sudan

Abstract

Much of the violence in Sudan and South Sudan has been incorrectly labeled as terrorism, and systemic conditions are often cited as the root cause. This article argues that terrorism is the use of violence to coerce political concessions and concludes that the vast majority of violence in Sudan and South Sudan has been employed for other reasons (civil war, insurgency and profit). It begins by discussing the history of Sudan including the civil war that culminated in the independence of South Sudan. Second, it looks at the various militant groups that have appeared in Sudan and South Sudan since independence and analyzes their strategic objectives. Third, the chapter considers the various systemic conditions in Sudan and South Sudan that have traditionally been attributed to terrorism and finds that these factors, while perhaps contributing to the decision to engage in violence, are by no means the root causes of it. Finally, the chapter offers a brief strategic analysis as an alternative to these alleged sources of violence.

DOI: 10.7176/IAGS/68-03