[3] It was located in the Bahr el Ghazal region and it bordered Southern Liech to the north, Western States to the west, Amadi to the southwest, Terekeka to the southeast, and Jonglei to the east.

[4] The decree established the new states largely along ethnic lines.

A number of opposition parties and civil society groups challenged the constitutionality of the decree.

Kiir later resolved to take it to parliament for approval as a constitutional amendment.

[5] In November the South Sudanese parliament empowered President Kiir to create new states.