NAIROBI, Kenya— The United Nations has issued a stark warning regarding the escalating violence in South Sudan, urging all parties to halt hostilities to prevent further deterioration of the country’s fragile peace process.
Since early May, clashes between the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-In Opposition (SPLA-IO) have intensified, particularly in Fangak, Jonglei State, and Tonga County, Upper Nile.
The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) reports at least 75 civilian deaths and 78 injuries between May 3 and May 20, with thousands displaced from their homes.
“The escalating hostilities in South Sudan portend a real risk of further exacerbating the already dire human rights and humanitarian situation,” said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk. “All parties must urgently pull back from the brink.”
The violence has included reports of indiscriminate aerial bombardments and ground offensives by government forces targeting SPLA-IO positions.
Notably, a medical facility operated by Doctors Without Borders (MSF) in Fangak was struck, resulting in civilian casualties and the destruction of vital healthcare infrastructure.
In addition to the violence, the UN has raised concerns over the arbitrary arrest of at least 55 high-ranking officials affiliated with the SPLM-IO, the political wing of the opposition.
Türk called for their immediate and unconditional release and urged the government to allow UN access to detention facilities to assess the condition of detainees.
The current crisis threatens to unravel the 2018 peace agreement that ended a five-year civil war responsible for approximately 400,000 deaths.
The agreement had established a power-sharing arrangement between President Salva Kiir and Vice President Riek Machar, but recent events, including Machar’s arrest in March, have strained this fragile accord.
Humanitarian agencies warn that the ongoing conflict exacerbates an already dire situation, with millions facing food insecurity and limited access to essential services.
