The United Nations has issued an urgent alert that South Sudan risks plunging back into full-scale civil conflict as clashes between government and opposition forces grow more violent.
Nicholas Haysom, chief of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), described the security situation as “extremely dangerous” on Monday night, citing worsening hostilities between troops loyal to President Salva Kiir and Vice President Riek Machar.
Haysom stressed that peace talks could only succeed if both leaders prioritised national stability over personal ambitions. He highlighted how false narratives and inflammatory rhetoric are deepening ethnic divisions and fuelling attacks that have forced over 60,000 civilians from their homes.
The world’s newest nation has struggled with instability since achieving independence in 2011, when fighting erupted between Kiir’s Dinka-dominated forces and Machar’s Nuer-aligned fighters. A 2018 ceasefire agreement temporarily halted the bloodshed that claimed 40,000 lives; however, recent months have seen renewed confrontations.
Tensions reached new heights in March when the White Army—a militia group allegedly supporting Machar—captured a key military outpost in Upper Nile State. Government forces retaliated by blocking Machar’s residence in Juba and detaining multiple opposition figures.
UN observers report that the South Sudanese military has conducted aerial bombardments across Upper Nile, with Haysom noting: “These indiscriminate attacks on civilians are causing significant casualties and horrific injuries, especially burns.” The violence has displaced approximately 63,000 people in recent weeks.
“With these developments, we must conclude that South Sudan stands dangerously close to reigniting its civil war,” Haysom warned, adding that neither leader appears willing to honour previous peace commitments.
The country’s planned 2023 elections have already been delayed twice, with voting now tentatively set for 2026. Haysom expressed particular concern about how “widespread misinformation and hate speech are intensifying ethnic tensions and fuelling fear” across communities.
UNMISS is coordinating with the African Union and other regional partners in urgent diplomatic efforts to prevent renewed warfare. The mission continues to monitor ceasefire violations while facilitating humanitarian access to affected populations.
As the security situation deteriorates, international observers fear the world’s youngest nation may repeat its tragic history of intercommunal violence unless immediate de-escalation measures are implemented.
