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South Sudan: Fighting likely to surge as rainy season ends

Photo credit: REUTERS/Jok Solomon [1]

Photo credit: REUTERS/Jok Solomon

The imminent end of the rainy season means warring parties in South Sudan’s civil war are preparing for major offensives, according to the think tank, International Crisis Group, or ICG.

ICG says fighting eased during the rainy season, giving both sides time to import arms and marshal their forces.

Rival factions have been fighting for nearly a year, with a growing number of militias and self-defence forces joining the conflict. This is occurring despite ongoing peace talks and several ceasefire agreements.

The conflict has disrupted harvests and food markets. Famine was averted this year by emergency food aid and normal rainfall. But U.N. agencies recently warned that at least 3.8 million people in South Sudan will need humanitarian aid.

To read the full article, go to: http://www.trust.org/item/20141030183300-piaoj/ [2]