The Heglig CrisisThe Heglig Oil Conflict: An Exercise of Sovereignty or an Act of Aggression? by Nicasius Achu Check and Thabani Mdlongwa, pp 3. Retrieved 19 May 2014. was a brief war fought between the countries of Sudan and South Sudan in 2012 over oil-rich regions between South Sudan's Unity and Sudan's South Kordofan states. South Sudan invaded and briefly occupied the small border town of Heglig before being pushed back by the Sudanese army. Small-scale clashes continued until an agreement on borders and natural resources was signed on 26 September, resolving most aspects of the conflict.
Background Prior to independence from Sudan two civil wars were fought in the region from 1955 to 1972 and from 1983 to 2005, in which 2.5 million people were killed and more than 5 million externally displaced. South Sudan peacefully gained independence from Sudan on 9 July 2011 with Sudan's long-term president Omar al-Bashir promising to "work with our southern brothers and help them set up their state". Despite this relations between the two states have been marked by conflict over the disputed oil-rich Abyei region. In January 2012, South Sudan shut down all of its oil fields over a disagreement with oil transit fees imposed by Sudan.
International arbitration committees such as the Abyei Boundaries Commission 2005 and the Permanent Court of Arbitration 2009 did not definitively resolve the question of administrative control over Heglig, as the dispute remained linked to whether the area lay east or west of the 1931 administrative line.
In May 2011, it was reported that Sudan had seized control of Abyei, with a force of approximately 5,000 soldiers after three days of clashes with South Sudanese forces. The precipitating factor was an ambush by South Sudanese forces on May 19 which killed 22 northern soldiers. The northern advance included shelling, aerial bombardment and numerous tanks. Following the advance South Sudan withdrew its forces from Abyei and declared the movement of Sudanese forces into Abyei to be an "act of war". The United Nations sent an envoy to Khartoum to intervene. A deal on militarization was reached on 20 June 2011. The United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei, consisting of Ethiopian troops were deployed under a UNSC resolution from 27 June 2011. In early December 2011, Jau, a town in Unity state in South Sudan, was occupied by Sudanese forces. In early March 2012, the Sudanese Air Force bombed parts of Pariang county.
Both countries accused each other of supporting rebels on their soil as part of the ongoing internal conflicts in Sudan and South Sudan.
The national parliament in 1980 and the government in Khartoum in 2004 made administrative and map changes to annex the oil fields to Western Kordofan.
Events
March: South Sudanese repulsed from Heglig
On 26 March, the Republic of Sudan claimed that South Sudan attacked the Heglig oilfield, located in the Sudanese state of South Kordofan, while South Sudan claimed that their forces had carried out an operation within the borders of South Sudan. The South Sudanese attack was supported by the Sudanese rebel group JEM, which attacked from South Sudanese state of Unity. The following day, the Sudanese Air Force launched a bombing raid on the Unity oilfield in Unity, located to the north of the state capital, Bentiu. The Sudanese Army later attacked the disputed areas of Jau, Pan Akuach, and Teshwin, but were repelled by the South Sudanese Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA).
South Sudanese artillery positions 20 kilometres north of Bentiu, which had been involved in the shelling of Heglig, were bombarded by artillery from the northern side of the border. Sudan's Information Minister, Abdallah Ali Masar, confirmed that South Sudanese had penetrated 10 km into Sudanese territory, but also claimed that Sudanese forces had repelled them and driven them back, and had taken several prisoners.
South Sudan's forces withdrew from the disputed area on 28 March.
On 31 March, Sudanese warplanes bombed the Southern forces positions on the border, although officials from the north said it was artillery, not aircraft involved in the attack.
Early April: South Sudanese capture of Heglig South Sudan claimed to have shot down a Sudanese MiG-29 warplane on 4 April over Unity during an air raid in which Sudanese planes bombed an oil pipeline in South Sudan. The Sudanese government denied any aerial bombings had taken place and called the accusations "fabrications" by South Sudan.
The SPLA claimed that Teshwin in South Sudan had been attacked by Sudanese forces on 9 April with battle going on into the next day The town of Abiemnhom in Unity was reportedly attacked by two brigades from the Sudanese army, which South Sudan claimed was an attempt to seize its oil fields. At least four civilians were injured in the clashes, although there were no immediate reports of military casualties on either side. The South's government said that northern forces had breached the border accompanied by militias, but had been repelled. A Sudanese military spokesman later admitted that the Sudanese army had been defeated during a battle at Heglig and was forced to retreat northwards. There were some reports that the fighting had broken out after Sudanese forces attempted to retake a border post lost to Southern forces two weeks previous. On 10 April Colonel Khalid Sawarmi, spokesman for the Sudanese army, claimed that South Sudanese forces had taken control of the Heglig oil fields and the town of Heglig itself, marking the start of the Second Battle of Heglig. In this second capture of Heglig the SPLA was again supported by the JEM.
The Sudanese government said on 11 April that heavy fighting continued along the disputed border areas and the Sudanese army was reported to be trying to retake Heglig with Sudan announcing that they would use all legitimate means to retake the oil fields. South Sudan said that they were holding defensive positions in Heglig, awaiting a Sudanese counterattack. Second Vice President of Sudan, al-Haj Adam Youssef, stated that Sudan was now in a state declared that all negotiations between the two states were on hold. The next day, on 12 April, the Sudanese Air Force bombed Bentiu, in an attempt to destroy a strategic bridge using an Antonov An-26 transport plane converted into an improvised bomber, killing one South Sudanese soldier.
The parliaments of both countries called for a mobilisation of their respective armed forces. Sudan also began a general mobilisation of its armed forces as South Sudanese forces penetrated as far as 70 kilometres into Sudanese territory, according to Rahmatullah Mohamed Osman, Under Secretary for the Foreign Ministry of Sudan. Following the capture of Heglig, the Government of Sudan announced that their forces withdrawn to Khersana where they were reportedly preparing to retake Heglig. On the same day the Sudanese Revolutionary Front rebel group attacked Khersana and Kalik
It was at some point in April that Salva Kiir, President of South Sudan and his advisors organized an all-volunteer militia –Mathiang Anyoor– to aid the SPLA in fighting the Sudanese during this conflict. The militia later transformed into a private army and became infamous for committing numerous atrocities during the subsequent South Sudanese Civil War.
Mid-April: Sudanese counter offensive
South Sudanese forces began reinforcing their positions in Heglig on 13 April, whilst Sudan continued to mobilise its own forces. According to the South Sudanese government, the frontlines had remained static during the day. Sudanese forces claimed to be advancing on Heglig and that the situation would be dealt with "within hours." A spokesman of the Sudanese government said that its army was on the outskirts of Heglig, while South Sudan's government said that it would defend themselves if attacked. The Sudanese government spokesman also added that South Sudan failed to control "all of South Kordofan state."
South Sudan's vice president Reik Machar said a Sudanese attempt to retake Heglig by force was halted 30 km north of the town. South Sudan claimed to have destroyed two tanks during the clashes. The Sudanese air force, operating two Sukhoi Su-25 jets,"Sudan bombards Bentiu as clashes with South Sudan escalate". KansasCity.com reportedly bombed Jau and Panakuach, as well as Heglig once again, killing five civilians. On 14 April, South Sudanese forces continued to advance northwards, and repelled a Sudanese counterattack on Khersana. Southern troops moved to close all three roads to Heglig on 14 April. It was also reported that most facilities in Heglig had been damaged during the fighting. Two MiG-29s from the Sudanese Air Force attempted to destroy a bridge in Bentiu but missed their target and ended up killing four civilians and a soldier and wounding five others. The attack was widely believed to be an attempt to damage South Sudanese supply lines.
Sudanese army units were reported to have reached a few kilometres from Heglig and that they were fighting with South Sudanese forces. Sudan's military spokesman Al-Sawarmi Khalid revealed that their immediate objective was to "destroy the South's war machine", rather than enter Heglig itself. South Sudan disputed the north's version of events as propaganda, claiming that northern forces were still 30 kilometres (19 miles) from Heglig. On 15 April, the Sudan People's Liberation Army spokesman Philip Aguer claimed that after overnight clashes in Kelet South Sudan held on to its positions and destroyed two Sudanese tanks.
Sudan shelled the western part of South Sudan's Upper Nile state during 15 April, in an apparent attempt to open up a new front. Sudanese troops crossed the border into South Sudan's Upper Nile state and briefly occupied the small town of Kuek, before being expelled by South Sudan's army.
On 16 April, Sudan's parliament met and voted unanimously to declare that "South Sudan is an enemy of all Sudanese state agencies". The parliamentary speaker called for Sudan to mobilise all its resources to fight South Sudan and topple their government. Rabie Abdelaty, a spokesman for the Sudanese government, ruled out peace talks with the South, saying it would hurt national pride if Sudan did not take back Heglig by force.
On 18 April, a new front opened up in the conflict, west of Heglig, resulting in seven South Sudanese soldiers and 15 Sudanese soldiers being killed. The clash was reportedly sparked when a South Sudanese soldier was shot dead when collecting water near the road between Aweil and Meiram.
Late April: Sudan regains control over Heglig On April 20 Salva Kiir ordered his forces to withdraw from Heglig. On the day the Sudanese army entered Heglig with al-Bashir holding a victory rally in Khartoum. On the 22 April, more fighting broke out along the whole border as Sudanese soldiers backed by tanks and artillery launched three waves of attacks into South Sudan. At least one South Sudanese soldier was killed and two wounded in the attack. Sudan bombed the town of Rubkona on 23 April, damaging several market stalls, in an attempt to destroy a bridge between Rubkona and neighbouring Bentiu. At least three people were killed in the raid. The following day, Kiir stated on a visit to China that Sudan had "declared war" on South Sudan.
Negotiations Sudan and South Sudan restarted negotiations in June 2012 under mediation by the African Union's envoy Thabo Mbeki.