Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA)

The Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) was a militant organization formed in 1983 to fight for the independence of South Sudan from Sudan. It emerged during the long civil war, advocating for South Sudanese self-determination due to ethnic, religious, and political differences with the north. The SPLA opposed the Sudanese government’s policies, leading to armed conflict. In 2005, the peace agreement ended the civil war, resulting in South Sudan's independence in 2011. Today, the SPLA is the official army of South Sudan, though its legacy is intertwined with the country's complex history of conflict and peacekeeping efforts.