George Athor's rebellion

George Athor's rebellion
Part of the factional violence in South Sudan
Map of South Sudan, with areas affected by different rebel groups depicted in various colors
Map showing insurgencies in northeastern South Sudan from 2010 to 2011. Areas affected by George Athor's rebellion in red.
Date30 April 2010 – 19 December 2011
(1 year, 7 months, 2 weeks and 5 days)
Location
Northeastern South Sudan (part of Sudan's Southern Sudan Autonomous Region until July 2011)
Result

South Sudanese government victory

  • Death of George Athor
  • Many rebel areas retaken by government forces
  • Athor's forces largely surrender in February 2012
Belligerents
South Sudan Democratic Movement (SSDM)
Gabriel Tanginye's militia
Supported by:
 Sudan
 Eritrea (alleged)
EUPF (alleged)		  South Sudan (Southern Sudan Autonomous Region until July 2011)
Commanders and leaders
George Athor †
Gabriel Tanginye Surrendered		 Abraham Thiong Ajang[1]
Units involved

SSDM/A

  • George Athor's private army
  • Various tribal militias (loosely)
Gabriel Tanginye's militia		 Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA)
South Sudan Police Service
Wildlife wardens
Strength
2,000–Thousands[2] Unclear
Casualties and losses
At least hundreds killed[3]

George Athor's rebellion[4][5] was an uprising in the Southern Sudan Autonomous Region (later the independent South Sudan) which lasted from April 2010 to December 2011. Organized by South Sudanese military commander and politician George Athor, the conflict mainly took place in the states of Upper Nile and Jonglei as well as some border areas.

The rebellion was launched by Athor when he was defeated in the 2010 South Sudanese general election, rejecting the results and using his private army to battle the government. He eventually organized the South Sudan Democratic Movement (SSDM), an alliance of various rebel leaders, though the insurgents' actual cooperation remained very limited and Athor continued to wage his insurgency largely on his own. Over the course of the conflict, Athor rejected a number of deals offered by the government, and a ceasefire agreement reached in January 2011 quickly fell apart. The rebel leader was ultimately killed by security forces in December 2011.

  1. ^ "SPLA commander killed by his bodyguard in Malakal". Radio Tamazuj. 31 January 2014. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
  2. ^ "South Sudan forces say kill rebel leader George Athor". Reuters. 20 December 2011. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
  3. ^ "South Sudan rebel George Athor 'killed'". BBC. 20 December 2011. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
  4. ^ Small Arms Survey 2011b, p. 1.
  5. ^ LeBrun 2013, p. 1.