2005 — The Day Garang Fell

On July 30, 2005, South Sudan lost its founding father. John Garang, the leader of the Sudan People's Liberation Army who had fought Khartoum for two decades, died in a helicopter crash just three weeks after becoming Sudan's vice president. His death stunned the whole region at once.

Riots erupted in Khartoum, and many feared the fragile peace deal would collapse. But his deputy, Salva Kiir, held the movement steadfastly together. Six years later, in July 2011, South Sudan became the world's newest independent nation, the dream Garang had carried for twenty-two long years was finally made real at last.