Initial attacks The first attack happened on February 10, 2022, after Twic Dinka militants attacked a group of Abyei administrators surveying land on the Abyei-
Twic State border. The surveyors were at the Aneet market whenever the Twic militants sent by Twic tax collectors attacked the surveyors. Four people had been killed by the time UNISFA was sent to relieve tensions. By March 6, over 50,000 refugees had fled to
Abyei town due to the Twic attacks and by an attack in Mading-thon and Kuol Bol by
Misseriya Arabs. Between March and April, attacks occurred in Nong, Lu, and Kolom. The Nong attack killed seven people, the Lu attack killed five and one was injured, and in Kon, four people were killed. Around 2,000 heads of cattle were stolen in Lu as well. Peace talks also began in
Entebbe,
Uganda in May between Ngok Dinka and Misseriya tribal leaders, sponsored by the
Community Empowerment for Progress Organization, a South Sudanese aid organization.
Intensification of the Twic Dinka-Ngok Dinka border conflict Starting in June 2022, and intensifying in September and October 2022, Ngok Dinka and Twic Dinka clashed at the borders of Abyei and Twic states. However, fighting re-erupted in December 2022 at the village of Wou Chien on the Abyei-Twic border. In January 2023, an attack by around 200 Twic Dinka and Bul Nuer led by former
SPLM commander Stephen Buay Rolnyang attacked the Abyei village of Rumamier, killing thirteen civilians and aid workers, and injuring four others. UNISFA troops intervened, but the village was burnt down. The new administrator,
Chol Deng Alaak, vowed to establish peace. On February 28, UNISFA denounced the movement of South Sudanese armed forces to Abyei. A second peace treaty between the Twic Dinka and Ngok Dinka was signed in
Wau on April 6. However, the Ngok Dinka sultan,
Belbek Kuol Deng, stated that attacks by Misseriya Arabs still continued against Ngok Dinka communities. At the outbreak of the
War in Sudan on April 15, tensions rose between the Twic, Misseriya, and Ngok Dinka, but no attacks were reported. On April 9, eleven people were killed in an ambush in Akol Matnyang, Rumamer county, by Rolnyang's
South Sudan People's Movement/Army.
War in Sudan and ceasefire The United Nations postponed the deployment of additional peacekeepers in UNISFA to Abyei in May 2023, following the breakout of the war in Sudan. The UN also expressed concern that the war would collapse the ceasefire that was agreed upon in Abyei, and restart attacks. Both Sudanese and South Sudanese forces deployed to the area following the war, in violation of the demilitarization delineated in the ceasefire. A South Sudanese internal report stated that neutral mediators of the 2022–2023 clashes picked sides, and that a neutral mediator of the conflict shouldn't be from
Bahr el Ghazal. Five people were killed and six were injured in the Hafir El Sillik area of Abyei on May 22. Ngok Dinka sultan Deng stated that the Misseriya were not involved in the attack, and other sources stated that an SSPDF-affiliated militia called Titabai was the perpetrator. That same day, the Ghanaian Battalion of UNISFA had luggage looted en route to Abyei. Four Twic Dinka were killed and one Abyei civilian was killed in a botched cattle raid attempt by the Twic Dinka on June 21.
Second spate of fighting On September 23, 2023, Twic Dinka attacked a market in Athony, but nobody was killed or injured. A second raid occurred on September 27 in Manyiel Rou, and six cows were stolen and the owner was killed. More bandits
attacked Nyinkuec on September 30, killing fourteen people and injuring fourteen others. Twic County officials claimed that no such attack happened. Twic youth attacked Athony again on October 4, killing four Abyei youth and one Twic fighter. Three Abyei civilians were injured. According to officials in Abyei, instead of a cattle raid, this attack was intended by the Twic to occupy the village. Twic County officials claimed the attack took place in Twic territory, and that thirty-five soldiers and civilians were killed in the attack. Sultan Kuol Deng claimed that the Ayouk raid was instigated by Twic youth and SSPDF fighters, who initially attacked Ngok Dinka in preparation for an attack in Abyei. Abyei officials also accused Gai Machiek's militia called Titweng of aiding the SSPDF and Twic youth. Twenty-seven people were killed in the first attack in Mayot, and the second attack in Maluel Aleu was repulsed by UNISFA intervening against the SSPDF and Titweng. UNISFA urged officials on November 23 to investigate the killings at the Ayouk raid and in the November 19 attacks, and asserted that seventy-five people were killed during the latter. Protests then broke out on November 27 in towns across Abyei decrying UNISFA's lack of protection of Abyei communities, and for the withdrawal of SSPDF and the Sudanese Armed Forces. On December 14, one person was killed and four others injured in border attacks, with both Abyei and Twic officials trading blame. A similar attack occurred on December 20 on the border, with Abyei officials claiming the deaths of six Twic youth. On December 31, the deputy administrator of Abyei, Noon Deng, was killed with five others in Rummamer county by unknown gunmen. Noon Deng's killing was deplored by UNISFA. On January 2, 2024, fighting broke out between SSPDF's 3rd Division led by Ajou along with Gal Machiek's militia against SSPDF forces led by General Kuel Garang, killing five people and injuring an unknown number more. Border attacks continued throughout January 2024, mostly with kidnappings and cattle and sheep raids. Attacks were uncommon.
Gai Machiek's campaign On January 27, 2024, Twic Dinka attacked the border villages of Nyinhuac, Majbong, and Ka-dhian and killed over fifty-three people and injured over sixty-four others. The attack was repelled by UNISFA, who lost two peacekeepers. The perpetrators of the attack were also associated with Gai Machiek. Between February 3 and 4, Machiek's militia launched attacks on Mijak, Aleel, and Rummamer counties. The first attack occurred at 10:30am in Rummamer county, where one person was killed and one was injured. Further attacks occurred in Mijak county around 3pm, where fourteen people were killed when their houses were burned. Another attack occurred in Aleel county, leading to the deaths of four civilians, and one in Machbong, where a market was torched. Further attacks the next day killed eighteen people and saw Twic Dinka and Gai Machiek's militants steal 1,000 heads of cattle. == Reactions ==