Publication

This report provides background information on the conflict in eastern Sudan. It analyzes the changing political dynamic since the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, considers the political and military strategies of the actors involved, discusses the likelihood of large-scale conflict, and evaluates the responses of international actors. The report concludes with recommendations for averting new conflict in eastern Sudan and linking negotiations to the country's broader peace process. The authors warn that the low-intensity conflict between the government and the Eastern Front could escalate into a full-scale war with disastrous humanitarian consequences if the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) completes its scheduled January withdrawal from the region before serious negotiations are underway, thus leaving a security vacuum.