UN Warns of Potential "Mass Atrocities" in South Sudan Amid Rising Incitement and Military Mobilization

The UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan has issued a stark warning regarding the imminent risk of "mass violence" and ethnic conflict in Jonglei State. The commission expressed grave concern over inflammatory rhetoric from high-ranking military officials and reports of troop mobilizations, stating that these developments directly undermine the fragile peace agreement and threaten civilian lives.

The UN body emphasized that President Salva Kiir and top military leaders in Juba bear direct criminal responsibility for preventing or punishing such incitement. According to the commission, the current escalation is part of a broader political breakdown fueled by ethnic divisions. It called on regional and international partners to urgently re-engage and pressure South Sudan’s leadership to halt the mobilization and return to a political path before the country plunges into another avoidable tragedy.