It’s long been predicted that if Sudan were to degenerate into another bloody civil war it would begin with the hotly contested, oil-rich town of Abeyi, which straddles the border between norther and southern Sudan. Southern Sudan voted for independence from the North early this year, a split that is supposed to take place next month. The concern is that Khartoum wouldn’t let Abeyi go without a fight.
The North shelled Abeyi over the weekend, followed by a ground invasion. Militia loyal to the North then conducted looting and burning of huts on Sunday.
Southern Sudan has called it a declaration of war. The last time the North and South went at it, two million people died. This is very, very bad.