SPLA, also known as the Sudan People's Liberation Army, is a military organization established in 1983 as the armed wing of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM). It originated as a rebel group fighting for the rights and self-determination of the predominantly Christian and animist people of Southern Sudan against the government of Sudan, which was dominated by the primarily Muslim northern population.
The primary objective of the SPLA was to secure autonomy and ultimately independence for Southern Sudan, which had been marginalized politically, economically, and socially by the central government in Khartoum. The armed conflict between the SPLA and the Sudanese government resulted in one of Africa's longest and deadliest civil wars, which lasted for more than two decades and claimed the lives of millions of civilians.
The SPLA operated as a guerrilla force, conducting both conventional and unconventional warfare tactics. Their military strategy involved a combination of hit-and-run attacks, ambushes, and capturing and holding strategic locations. They relied heavily on a decentralized command structure, mobilizing local communities for support.
With the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005, the SPLA transformed into the official military of South Sudan, following a referendum that resulted in the secession of the region from Sudan. It was subsequently renamed the Sudan People's Liberation Army – Army of South Sudan (SPLA-SS). The SPLA played a vital role in the establishment and defense of the world's youngest nation, South Sudan, until its dissolution in 2011 and subsequent replacement by the South Sudan People's Defense Forces (SSPDF), integrating former SPLA fighters into the new national military structure.
