Violence Dampens Southern Sudan’s Celebration

It was just last month that Sudan’s southern half voted to secede from its northern neighbor, but bloody clashes between south Sudan’s army and fighters loyal to a renegade soldier have reportedly left almost 140 people dead, most of them civilians.

Sudan’s southern population voted overwhelmingly for autonomy in January, with 99 percent of votes cast backing independence. —JCL

The Associated Press:

Two days of fighting in Southern Sudan between the region’s army and a rebel faction has killed nearly 140 people, mostly civilians, a southern army spokesman said Friday.

A former high-ranking southern army member who rebelled against the southern government following April elections broke a January cease-fire by attacking the towns of Fangak and Dor on Wednesday, said Col. Philip Aguer, the spokesman for the southern army.

Renegade commander George Athor’s troops captured Fangak on Wednesday, and the fighting continued through Thursday until the southern military retook it, Aguer said. No new fighting was reported on Friday.

Read more

AP / Pete Muller

Southern Sudanese celebrate the formal announcement of election results in the southern capital of Juba. Recent violence has tainted the new country’s euphoria.