Since February 2025, over 50,000 people have been displaced in South Sudan due to clashes between rival factions supporting President Kiir and Vice President Machar. Ongoing violence threatens the 2018 peace agreement, exacerbating humanitarian crises, including cholera outbreaks. UN officials warn that the country is at risk of returning to civil war, necessitating immediate actions to de-escalate tensions.
Clashes between rival forces in South Sudan have resulted in the displacement of at least 50,000 individuals since February 2025, according to a report from a United Nations agency. The escalating tensions are primarily occurring in the northeastern Upper Nile State involving forces aligned with President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar, casting doubts on the sustainability of their fragile peace-sharing agreement.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) expressed grave concerns, stating that the violence exacerbates the vulnerability of affected communities and impedes life-saving humanitarian services. Anita Kiki Gbeho, a prominent official of OCHA, remarked on the deteriorating situation.
On a recent occasion, an airstrike conducted by the South Sudanese government in Nasir County resulted in the tragic death of at least 20 individuals, including children, according to local officials. OCHA further reported that 10,000 of the displaced have fled to Ethiopia and highlighted the forced evacuation of 23 humanitarian workers from the region, along with the closure of a cholera treatment unit in Nasir.
The head of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), Nicholas Haysom, warned that the country is nearing a relapse into civil war, which could negate the progress made in peace efforts. Citing the neighboring Sudan as an alarming example, he urged all parties to de-escalate tensions.
Furthermore, Reports from Doctors Without Borders (MSF) indicate a concerning cholera outbreak in Akobo County, with 1,300 cases reported. The situation is aggravated by significant funding cuts to USAID under the previous administration, creating challenges for relief operations in the country, according to local health officials who expressed their worries about the dire circumstances faced by patients.
The renewed violence poses a threat to the 2018 peace agreement between Kiir and Machar, who previously engaged in a five-year civil war that led to substantial loss of life. Accusations from Kiir’s allies about Machar inciting unrest in Nasir County, allied with youth armed from the White Army, have intensified the ongoing conflict and led to violence.
An UN rescue operation turned tragically fatal when a helicopter pilot and a South Sudanese general were among those killed following an attack on a military encampment by around 6,000 White Army combatants.
The recent clashes in South Sudan have severely impacted the stability of the region, leading to significant displacement and an urgent humanitarian crisis. The situation threatens to unravel the peace established in 2018 following a devastating civil war. Urgent international intervention and local de-escalation measures are needed to prevent a further descent into chaos and to safeguard the lives of vulnerable populations.
Original Source: jordantimes.com
