The world?s new state, South Sudan. The aggregate effects of marginalization, imposition of
sharian law, denial of self-governing rights and in general, claiming that they were considered
as „secondary citizens? in Sudan, and after making a bitter struggle for three decades, in 2011
South Sudan maintained its independence by a referendum.
But unfortunately, within three years after gaining its independence a civil war broke out in
South Sudan. A political power struggle between the South Sudanese president Salva Kiir and
former vice president Riek Machar has resulted in violent clashes between ethnic army factions
in December 2013. Since then, fighting has spread across South Sudan and claimed the lives of
around 10,000 people. Taking into account the past hostility and bitterness between these two
big ethic groups. It is feared that a deadly ethnic cleansing and massacre might happen again in
the continent.
Since the civil war broke out, peace talks between these sides in Juba & Addis Ababa hasn?t
been fruitful yet. Conflicts are erupting in different provinces of South Sudan from time to time.
To this effect; children, women & elderly will continue to suffer.
Thus, this research opts to explore and find out the root causes of this conflict which broke out in
2013, with the direct and indirect involvement of the external state, and non-state actors as well.
In addition; the political, economic and humanitarian consequences of the conflict will be
explored in depth.
To conduct the research, primary and secondary sources were employed that gave the study a
detailed explanation in a descriptive & analytical way.