UN Urges South Sudan Rivals to Halt Deadly Renewed Clashes

Waves of fighting have displaced families in Upper Nile State, South Sudan. UNICEF/Phil Hatcher (File)

The UN has raised alarm over a worsening human rights crisis in South Sudan, as renewed hostilities, arbitrary arrests, and the rise of hate speech threaten to unravel the country's fragile peace.

At least 75 civilians have been killed and thousands displaced since fresh clashes broke out in February between the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-In Opposition (SPLA-IO), a political and armed group loyal to First Vice President Riek Machar. Their respective allied militias have also joined the violence.

South Sudan descended into civil war in 2013 following political tensions between President Salva Kiir and Mr Machar. A 2018 peace deal brought about a tenuous power-sharing agreement, but recent violence risks undoing years of progress.

“Escalating hostilities portend a real risk of further exacerbating the already dire human rights and humanitarian situation,” said Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. He called on all parties to “urgently pull back from the brink.”

The latest conflict reportedly began when a militia known as the White Army launched attacks in Upper Nile State. Violence surged between 3 and 20 May, with reports of indiscriminate aerial bombardments and coordinated river and ground assaults by the SSPDF on SPLA-IO positions in Jonglei and Upper Nile.

Displacement spiked again on 21 May after a counter-offensive by SPLA-IO and allied forces in Jonglei State.

Mr Türk urged all actors to respect the 2018 peace accord and protect civilians. “All parties must ensure the protection of civilians and civilian objects and allow humanitarian access in line with international law,” he said.

He also raised concerns over a wave of politically motivated detentions. Between 5 and 26 March, at least 55 senior figures affiliated with the SPLM-IO — including ministers, MPs, and military officers — were detained without warrants or due process.

“I am concerned that many of the detentions are arbitrary in nature,” said Türk, who called for their immediate and unconditional release. He also urged authorities to grant the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) access to National Security Service detention sites to assess detainees’ welfare.

Finally, Türk warned of a troubling rise in hate speech and called on South Sudanese authorities to take “prompt, effective and meaningful” action to prevent incitement and safeguard peace.