South Sudan: The Violence in South Sudan, December 2013 to Present

By: Daniel Maxwell, Phoebe Donnelly

South Sudan became the world’s newest country in July 2011, but internal political struggles resulted in renewed widespread violent conflict in December 2013, affecting nearly half the country’s population and displacing some 2 million—and leaving over a hundred thousand stuck in “Protection of Civilians” sites in major towns. The humanitarian response triggered by renewed violence has faced many of the same issues that challenged earlier efforts under Operation Lifeline Sudan during the civil war. While the South Sudan crisis is still being played out, much can be learned from this complex case.