Saturday, Russian police detained five suspected terrorists in Nalchik city, 185 miles east of Sochi. Russia’s National Anti-Terrorism Committee stated that the suspects were members of an international terror group, but the Committee did not specify any group in particular. The suspects were in possession of explosives and ammunition. Russia recently geared up Sochi … Read more
In Juba, wartime campaigns have begun as the IGAD delegation visited Machar at an unknown location in South Sudan. The UN estimates of displaced persons in South Sudan has risen sharply. Bentiu has been reclaimed by the SPLA, so the government now controls Unity State. Bor is the only important position remaining in rebel … Read more
The U.S. has a special relationship with South Sudan, being responsible in large part for the creation of South Sudan in 2011. Last Friday a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing was held in Washington about South Sudan, specifically about civil unrest and ethnic cleansing in the country. The Senate engaged in dialogue with two … Read more
The U.S. government made announcement Friday regarding South Sudan, in which a government spokesperson warned both President Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar against continuing their respective obstructions against the peace process. Friday the National Security adviser for President Obama, Susan Rice, stated that both leaders must not involve their country in further … Read more
Speaking from Juba, also Wednesday, SPLA spokesman Philip Aguer stated that David Yau Yau, a rebel who had fought the government for two years before the recent rebel outbreak, has joined the government troops. Yau Yau has not commented on this news. Yau Yau had been engaged in a ceasefire during a three-month long … Read more
In South Sudan, the main scenes of battle in recent days have been the Bor area and Unity State. Bor and the region around Bor were the scene of continued fighting on Wednesday. Rebels have made statements that they repelled the SPLA from rebel positions in the Juba-Bor area. From the other side of … Read more
Radio is the #1 news source for South Sudanese, says a recent nationwide survey. The survey found that radio remains the most accessible, trusted, and widespread source of information for the vast majority of South Sudan’s people. The survey, conducted by Internews, sampled 3300 individuals aged 16 and up across South Sudan’s 10 states. USAID, … Read more
Russian President Vladimir Putin has pledged that the Olympic Games in Sochi will be “the safest Olympics in history,” but in light of the recent terrorist bombings in Russia, questions have arisen as to why Putin says Sochi will be safe. Sochi will be the site of the 2014 Winter Olympics, February 7-23. The Winter … Read more
Battles continued along the Juba-Bor road as President of Sudan Omar al-Bashir met South Sudanese President Salva Kiir. China also finally entered the stage of the South Sudanese crisis. After incidents of gunfire Saturday evening in Juba’s Qiyada barracks and Jebel market, the government announced that it would hold a press conference Sunday morning … Read more
South Sudan – Attacks in several locations took place while peace talks were pushed back once again; gunfire in Juba was followed by various reports. Gunfire was heard in several locations in and around Juba, the capital of South Sudan. Various reports filed in, and an attack on Juba by rebels was reported by … Read more
South Sudan – A government attack on the city of Bor is underway: SPLA troops are fast approaching Bor and should take Bor before Saturday morning, according to SPLA general Malual Ayom Dor. Ayom is leading the SPLA army in operations against Bor, a city 75 miles (120 kilometers) north of the Juba. Juba … Read more
Rebels in South Sudan are forcibly recruiting civilians in preparation for a march on Juba after a skirmish in Mangala, just 18 miles (30 kilometers) from the national capital. Army spokesman colonel Philip Aguer made statements Thursday describing rebels, who had taken over Bor Tuesday, now forcibly recruiting civilians for this purpose: “Juba, that … Read more