Koch is a community in

Unity State Unity State, also known as Western Upper Nile, is a state in South Sudan. Unity state is in the Greater Upper Nile region. Unity is inhabited predominantly by two ethnic groups: the Nuer majority, and the Dinka minority. In 2015, a presidentia ...

South Sudan South Sudan (; din, Paguot Thudän), officially the Republic of South Sudan ( din, Paankɔc Cuëny Thudän), is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered by Ethiopia, Sudan, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the C ...

, headquarters of

Koch County Koch County is an administrative division of Unity State, South Sudan South Sudan (; din, Paguot Thudän), officially the Republic of South Sudan ( din, Paankɔc Cuëny Thudän), is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered by ...

. The community lies in Jagei Nuer territory. It is within the

Block 5A Block 5A is an oil concession in South Sudan. After oil field development began during the Second Sudanese Civil War, Block 5A was the scene of extensive fighting as rival militias struggled for control. Out of an original population of 240,000, a ...

oil concession. Between 1998 and 2003 the community was attacked many times by government-supported troops or militias. In 2002 the community was repeatedly attacked by a government Antonov bomber and helicopter gunships. On 31 January 2000,

Riek Machar Dr. Riek Machar Teny Dhurgon (born 26 November 1952) is a South Sudanese politician who serves as the First Vice President of South Sudan. Political life In February 2020, Machar was re-sworn in as first vice president following a revitalised ...

formally resigned from the government and called on his commanders and Nuer chiefs to meet him at Koch.

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...

planes were used under false pretenses to transport leaders to the conference, where the Sudan People's Defence Forces / Democratic Front was announced.

References

{{Reflist , refs= {{cite book , url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_3WQkACoP3FkC , pag
335
, title=Sudan, oil, and human rights , author=Jemera Rone , author-link=Jemera Rone , publisher=Human Rights Watch , year=2003 , ISBN=1-56432-291-2 Populated places in Unity (state)