Civil War Fears Resurface in South Sudan: 180,000 Displaced in Jonglei as Government Warns of "Grave Threat to Peace"

The South Sudanese government issued an urgent plea on Tuesday for opposition forces to halt their advance in Jonglei State, warning that the ongoing clashes pose a "grave threat" to the 2018 peace agreement. Government spokesperson Ateny Wek Ateny defended the military operations as a "necessary legal measure" to restore order, while the UN reported that the intensity of the fighting has reached levels not seen since 2017.

The humanitarian crisis is deepening rapidly, with the UN confirming that 180,000 people have already fled their homes. The UN mission (UNMISS) expressed deep concern over the military's evacuation orders and the rise of ethnic hate speech, which risks dragging civilian populations into a conflict reminiscent of the 2013-2018 civil war that claimed 400,000 lives. Amidst this, the political trial of Riek Machar on treason charges continues to fuel the instability.